Silver: The Hoenn Adventure
by ukrazian
Summary: The sequel to 'Silver: The Kanto Adventure'. PLEASE do not read this unless you have read the other two Silver stories, as you may not understand what's going on and you won't know some of the characters. For those of you who have read them, please enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 1**

Silver sighed as the removal van rumbled and bumped beneath him, driving over a particularly bumpy stretch of road and making the many piles of cardboard boxes wobble ominously above him. Why had he agreed to stay in the back whilst his mother and Chikorita had the easy life and sat in the seat next to the driver, all comfortable and warm, with no danger of being crushed? There wasn't enough room even to release any of his Pokemon to talk to, and without Togetic on his shoulder he was forced to sit in silence and reminisce about the life he had left behind as he sped towards an all-new life in the region of Hoenn. The last few days in Johto weren't particularly nice or fun, as he had to leave behind not only the house he had grown up in, but also Crystal, his best friend and partner. When he had told his Pokemon, Scott and his parents about the two of them getting together, to his consternation none of them seemed in the least bit surprised. It had been an emotional time when the doors to the van closed and they were removed from each other's sight, but of course they promised to keep in touch as much as possible. And there was, of course, the fact that he had to leave his beloved Umbreon in Saffron City. He had been fine with it whilst travelling around Kanto and Johto, but Saffron seemed a million miles away from his destination of Littleroot Town, and he was most reluctant to leave the Dark Pokemon behind. However, he knew it was in Umbreon's best interests, as he and Espeon were in love with each other. Still... the gap in his team still hung there like a malevolent void, and having no pressure on his shoulder from Togetic's presence, whom he had left behind with Crystal, was very odd and not all that nice. Luckily, he still had the rest of his team with him, all of them great friends. Typhlosion, his oldest Pokemon, whom he had received as a Cyndaquil and who had proved a valiant and powerful fighter constantly throughout Silver's adventures. Noctowl, the wise Owl Pokemon, who had agility, cunning and subtle power constantly at his disposal, as well as being able to turn his head more than a hundred and eighty degrees on his neck. Gengar, a mischievous Ghost Pokemon with unmatched speed and rarely-seen skill at manipulating attacks, as well as a knack for disrupting even the calmest Trainer's thoughts and emotions. Politoed, the ever-determined, ever-plucky and ever-strong Water Pokemon who never gave up and who had contributed vastly to Silver's success as a Trainer. And finally Wobbuffet. Most of the time, Wobbuffet stood in silence, but when called upon to fight he could strike back with power that never failed to astonish Silver, and everyone else too. Silver would never forget how he had bounced back the Hydro Pump of Blue's Gyarados, as well as somehow claiming the title of honorary ninja from the Fuchsia City Gym. It was a team to be proud of, and he was looking forward at least to challenging the Trainers of Hoenn and perhaps seeing some of these new species that exclusively dwelled there, if his mother was to be believed. Suddenly, the van juddered to a halt, and a particularly precariously-balanced box finally fell from its perch and landed on Silver's head, dislodging his baseball cap and scattering the fortunately soft socks that lay within over the floor.

"Ow! Well, at least we're finally here. Either that, or we're stopping for another ferry ride," Silver said, then realised that Togetic wasn't there and slapped his forehead. If he kept this up, people would think he was talking to himself. After what seemed like an age, there was a scraping sound, and the side of the van slid open. Sunlight streamed through and he covered his eyes like a vampire against the bright light.

"We're here! Isn't it exciting?" He recognised his mother's happy voice and attempted a smile and a nod as Chikorita cried,

"Chiko!"

"Chikorita at least seems happy with the arrangements. Thank goodness we're finally here, I can get some fresh air..." Silver stumbled out of the back of the van and took in a deep breath of air as his eyes adjusted to the light. They were in a small town that seemed similar to New Bark Town, his former home, but the houses seemed bigger and more expensive, and if possible Littleroot seemed even tinier than New Bark had been. They had moved there to be closer to Norman, Silver's father, who was the Petalburg City Gym Leader. It was weird for Silver to think that one day he would be challenging his own dad to a match, for the coveted Balancebadge, and fighting against Pokemon whom he had known since he was a baby. The sloth-like Slakoth in particular had been close to Silver when he was young, but whether he had evolved since was anybody's guess. He was all of a sudden pushed aside none-too-gently by a troop of Vigoroths, all of whom were hefting cardboard boxes and lumbering into Silver's new house to lay down their possessions.

"Your father should be home very soon to greet us; he says he's got something prepared for us, but I don't know what. Until then, you and your Pokemon can help me and the Pokemon movers unpack," his mother, Anna, crept up behind him and spoke what was less of an offer and more of a command. Silver rolled his eyes and nodded, releasing his Pokemon to aid his plight. After an hour or two of what Silver considered to be hard labour, everything was ready, and it was very odd seeing trinkets from their last house adorning the walls and floor of this new dwelling. His duvet, for example, seemed small in comparison with his larger bed, and the pot-plant in the corner looked strange in a sunny, well-lit position instead of its usual shadowy place where Silver almost always forgot to water it. Luckily, Chikorita had always been on hand to tend it, and it miraculously hadn't died yet. His Pokemon were still finding their feet in this strange new land, but when everything was unpacked they unwound and broke the ice, playing in the large garden, complete with a pond for Politoed. "So, what do you think?" Anna asked, sweeping her arm around to indicate the living room, a strange mix of nostalgia and unfamiliarity all mixed in together.

"It's great. But then again, I won't be living in it for very long, will I? A new quest for badges, and all that jazz. But Dad picked well," Silver added happily as Chikorita jumped into his arms. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Wow! We've got a doorbell now? No more knocking for us!" Silver said delightedly as his mother walked over to answer it.

"Nope, we've really got the high life here. Oh, Norman! It's you!" she cried as she opened the door. Silver bolted over and stood next to his mother as Norman entered the house. Silver hadn't seen his father in the flesh for years now, but very little had changed, from what he could remember. Norman was tall and relatively muscular, taking care of his body but not working out continuously like some Fighting type Trainers. His skin was pale and his hair was black, a look which Silver had inherited, although his eyes were grey whilst Silver's were blue.

"Silver! It's great to see you!" Norman said with a smile, and he and Silver embraced tightly. His father didn't generally show much emotion, being, as his mother put it, the 'strong, silent type', but now he was beaming and looking at his grown-up son happily.

"Good to see you too, Dad. How are you? How's the Gym?"

"Everything's going great, thank you. I had to finish off a challenger quickly to make it here in time; the kid was obviously new to the Pokemon game, and wouldn't take no for an answer when he challenged me, so it wasn't much of a trial to beat him. How are you and your team? I've got to meet them," Norman replied, clapping his son on the shoulder and looking around for any Pokemon. "Hey, it's Chikorita! Welcome to Hoenn, my friend," he said, spotting the Grass Pokemon in Silver's arms, and he stroked the leaf on his head.

"Here, you look after Chikorita for now. I'll go and get my team, and you can release yours too! It'll be good to see Slakoth again!"

"Sorry, Silver, but I left them at the Gym for some rest and training. I don't want to spoil the surprise for you, after all, when you get around to challenging me!"

"Oh, OK then. Guys, come on in! This is my dad," The swarm of Pokemon entered the house, covering the floor with mud and water from where they had been playing, although Wobbuffet at least remembered to wipe his feet on the doormat before entering. They crowded around Norman with interest, crying out a cacophony of welcome in their many different voices.

"Hmm... This looks like a fine group of warriors, I must admit. I'd better start training hard if I want to be able to beat them. So, here we have Typhlosion. I've heard many good things about you from Silver," Typhlosion roared with enthusiasm at the compliment. "And Politoed, looking as fit and healthy as I've ever seen a Water Pokemon. This must be Gengar..." He introduced himself to each Pokemon in turn and left each creature feeling proud and happy; Norman was even considerate enough to think up a compliment for Wobbuffet. "All in all, an excellent team. But Pokemon battles have got to take a back seat for now. Anna, I've got you some new clothes and a whole new range of appliances to make your housework easier, just as a housewarming present," Anna squealed and hugged Norman as he broke the news, but he didn't stop there. "Silver, I also got you a present to start you off on your journey. Designer Trainer's clothes, the height of fashion in Hoenn, and a new backpack. There are some special Running Shoes in there, too," Silver gratefully accepted the package Norman handed to him, knowing that his clothes were getting a little too small and his backpack was close to complete breakage after such a long trek. The rest of the day was spent settling in, and Silver examined himself in the mirror self-consciously as he dressed in his new clothes. Instead of a baseball cap, he wore a headband, and a messenger bag replaced his dilapidated old backpack. The clothes themselves were mostly blue and green, and made of comfortable fabrics woven from the finest Wurmple silk, according to the tag. He didn't know exactly what a Wurmple was, but as long as it was the finest he didn't care. The jacket he had worn in Johto and Kanto was now lovingly folded in a drawer in his dresser, still covered with all manner of badges from which he drew considerable pride. His Pokemon seemed to like the new house, and he left them in the garden to play together as he left to explore after phoning Crystal to tell her about his new home.

"I'm just going to look around, Mum. I'll be back soon," he called.

"Why don't you go and visit Professor Birch? His house is just down the road. Norman says he's got a daughter about your age, so perhaps you can make friends," his mother called back, and he nodded, shutting the door and strolling slowly down the street. It was a nice day, especially after being stuck in the back of a lorry for so long, and it felt good to stretch his legs properly. The biggest landmark of the town was the Professor's lab, and to the north there was a route that doubtless led on to bigger towns, with Gyms and landmarks of all descriptions. What captured his attention more than the promise of what lay ahead, however, was a small and fearful-looking girl who stood near the route's entrance, looking as if she didn't know whether to stay or go. He walked over, concerned, and asked,

"Is anything wrong? Are you OK?" The girl looked up at him and squinted.

"I don't know you, do I? You must be new in town. I heard shouts and Pokemon cries out there, but I'm too young to go and find out what's going on. Will you go for me?"

"Uh... sure. Just stay here and I'll be back in a minute," Silver replied, and entered the route cautiously. It sounded like there was somebody, or some Pokemon, in trouble, so he didn't want to waste time running home to collect his Pokeballs. However, he wished he had spared the time to do so as he looked upon a curious scene. A large and burly man with brown hair, wearing a lab coat, was being chased by a small, raccoon-like creature with spiky brown and cream striped fur. A messenger bag similar to Silver's, but different in colour, lay discarded close by. As the man laid eyes on Silver, he shouted,

"Help! Help! There's a Starter Pokemon inside the bag, use it to scare off this little fiend!" Silver recovered from the shock quickly and bent down to the bag, opening it to see a Pokeball lying within. He grabbed and hurled it, with a shout of,

"Go... uh... who are you?" he asked as a small orange chick-like creature with wide black eyes emerged, ruffling its downy feathers and chirping with surprise as it saw what was unfolding in front of it.

"Hurry!" the Professor bellowed, the raccoon-creature still playfully chasing him.

"Can you use Tackle?" Silver asked the creature, and it shook its head quickly. "OK... what other attacks do Starter Pokemon know? Gold's Totodile knew Scratch..." With that, the small bird leapt in front of the raccoon, halting it in its tracks before swiping its face with his sharp talons. The creature cried out in pain and scampered off, with the chick squeaking in victory and glaring after it. "Good job, kid! You did really well," Silver said, and the creature chirped and hopped up and down happily. "Are you OK, sir?" he continued, approaching the sprawled-out Professor. After a second or two of heavy breathing, the Professor sat up and eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm fine, thanks to you and Torchic. Judging by the look of you, you must be Norman's son. Welcome to Littleroot Town, my name's Professor Birch," he straightened up and shook Silver's hand. "I love doing fieldwork, you see, that's why I was out here today. Unfortunately, that Zigzagoon didn't appreciate being disturbed, and it jumped me. But this is no place for a chat; it's dangerous out here! Let's get back to my lab. Come on, Torchic," The chick Pokemon followed Professor Birch along with Silver, and Silver smiled at the curious girl who awaited them.

"The Professor here was battling with a Zigzagoon. Nothing special, I'm afraid," he said to her on the way past, and she hung her head in disappointment. Professor Birch's lab was more high-tech but less organised than Professor Elm's lab, and it bore a slight resemblance to Professor Oak's lab in that it had detailed models of Pokemon everywhere. However, none of these creatures were familiar to Silver at all. There were also examples of grass, berries and other food which Pokemon often ate in the wild, as well as fur, feathers and casts of footprints. It was obvious that Professor Birch enjoyed his fieldwork.

"So you're Norman's son. I must admit, watching you command Torchic made it obvious that you have a bond with Pokemon," the Professor said as they both sat down with a glass of water each.

"Well, I didn't really command Torchic. He was just brave and did it himself," Silver said.

"You're too modest. But I know that your father's blood must run in your veins, judging by the badges he's said you've won. Are you planning to travel around Hoenn?"

"Yep. I can't wait to test my team against the finest Trainers of the region," Silver replied enthusiastically. The Professor shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and rubbed the back of his neck as if embarrassed.

"Ah... well, I thought we'd come up against that little snag. Well, it's customary for Trainers from other regions to start off their Hoenn journey with new teams. Our Gyms and League haven't been in place for very long, so they wouldn't be able to cope with super-strong teams like you're likely to have,"

"What? So I'd have to leave my friends at home?" Silver replied incredulously.

"I'm afraid so. But as a thank-you for helping me out today, I'd like you to start off with Torchic, just to get you going on your Hoenn journey. It's a bit of a craze here to nickname your Pokemon, if you want to," the Professor added, proffering Torchic, whom Silver dubiously accepted.

"I don't know... Are you OK as you are, Torchic?" Silver said, and Torchic chirped happily. "I guess that's decided then. Thanks a lot for the Pokemon, I really appreciate it. Well, I won't take up any more of your time..."

"Hang on, I've got something else, too. Here, it's called a Pokedex. As you're unfamiliar with the Pokemon of Hoenn, I feel it's my duty to give you one. Just point the sensor at an unfamiliar creature and it will tell you all sorts about it; type, weaknesses, personality, habitat and so on. Here, try it on Torchic," Silver took the odd-looking red device and pointed it at Torchic. It flipped open and a picture of Torchic appeared on a little screen inside.

"_Torchic. The Chick Pokemon. If attacked, it strikes back by spitting balls of fire it forms in its stomach. Torchics dislike darkness as they cannot see their surroundings._" A mechanical voice announced, to Silver's amazement.

"Cool! I'll be careful not to turn off the lights when he's around, then," he said happily, jerking his thumb at Torchic.

"There's more, as well. On that screen there, it tells you its type, the moves it knows, and other useful tidbits. And finally, just ask it to give an overview of this particular Torchic," Professor Birch prompted, and, feeling stupid, Silver asked the handheld device,

"Er... can you give me an overview of Torchic please?" At the word 'overview', the Pokedex spoke again.

"_This particular Torchic is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Brave category, highlighted by its more aggressive style of battling,_" it said promptly.

"See? Technology these days is amazing. Now, I think you should introduce yourself to my daughter. She's on Route 103 right now, doing some fieldwork for me, so meeting her can start you off on your journey. Perhaps she'll even battle you and Torchic, if you're lucky. Well, I've got some work to do, so if you'll excuse me..." Silver thanked the Professor and left the laboratory, holding Torchic's cool Pokeball in his hand and looking down at the hopping creature as it followed him home.

"Judging by what the Pokedex said, you must be a Fire type. Am I right?" Torchic nodded sagely. "I've got a Fire Pokemon at home who I think would like to meet you. Come on, let's go," They quickly reached Silver's new house, and after testing out the doorbell and then finding out the door was open, he stumbled inside with Torchic in tow. "Hello? Anybody here?" he called. His parents emerged from the kitchen and their eyes travelled from him in his new clothes down to Torchic, and Anna covered her mouth in shock as Norman smiled.

"So I see you've met Professor Birch," Norman said, walking over and kneeling down to get a better look at Torchic. "Another Fire type. Perhaps that's what you should train, when you take over from me as a Gym Leader,"

"Maybe. Look, he gave me a Pokedex, too. But there's a pretty big snag... he said I've got to leave the rest of my Pokemon behind. He says it can unbalance it all if a Trainer comes in with super-powerful Pokemon. I don't know whether I want to travel without my friends," Silver said awkwardly.

"Your Pokemon can stay here. I'll look after them, don't you worry, as long as they help me out around the house," his mother said, and he had a fleeting image of Wobbuffet holding a feather duster and wearing an apron.

"I'll keep them in good shape. Don't forget, I'm a pretty good Trainer myself, so I know how to make good Pokemon food and a good training regimen. I think you should go ahead. A whole new team; it'll be a good experience. Trainers need to adapt and change, or else they just get stuck in the same old ruts, and both they and their Pokemon stagnate and get complacent," Norman said, straightening up again.

"It'll be so weird, though... starting all over again, from square one," Silver said. But then he remembered Red's words from their Championship battle; that square one was the best place to be. This was the chance of a lifetime, the chance to explore Hoenn and collect a team of new friends and new fighters. He'd never lose contact with his other Pokemon, as they'd always be at home, and he trusted his parents beyond anyone to take care of them. "I'll do it. A new adventure... Hoenn, here I come!"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 2**

"According to my dad, Oldale Town's not too far away. And Route 103's just north of it. But I think we'll have a bit of trouble finding our way around this place without my trusty Pokegear," Silver said conversationally to Torchic as the creature hopped beside him. He still wore the Pokegear due to its useful phone option, but the map and radio options didn't work here, so he would have to be reduced to getting out leaflets from each Pokemon Centre in a poor imitation of Crystal. He and Torchic had left home several minutes ago, after Silver had said goodbye to each of his Pokemon in turn and promised both them and his parents that he would keep in touch. His mother, as ever, promised that she would look after his money and help fund his trip, whilst his father promised him a tough battle when he had won at least four badges. It had been particularly difficult to leave Typhlosion behind, as they had barely been apart for about two years, but the Fire Pokemon had pledged his support whenever it was needed; that he would fight alongside Silver again someday, and the rest of his team would too. As ever, Silver found it easier to say goodbye by leaving straight away, so introductions between Torchic and his old Pokemon were kept short and sweet so as not to prolong the moment of parting. And now... Here he was. By all accounts a rookie Trainer with a low-level Pokemon by his side. And only one Pokemon at that. One, total. He couldn't fall back on Noctowl, Gengar or any of the others should Torchic faint, which was more unsettling than he had predicted.

"Torchic!" Torchic squeaked suddenly, shaking him out of his daydream, and he saw that Oldale Town was looming up ahead.

"Good job, Torchic. I probably would've wandered straight through it without noticing without you here. I don't think there's anything much to do in Oldale Town, apart from a Pokemon Centre and a Poke-Mart. But then again, those two buildings are practically everywhere nowadays," he added to himself. He expected some sort of comforting cheek-stroke from Togetic at this point, but was obviously left wanting, and Torchic didn't look in the least bit sympathetic. Oldale Town was small, only slightly bigger than Littleroot Town, and it looked like a stereotypically average city; there was nothing going on there, and people just went about their business as usual. There was nothing he could see to recommend it to anyone, apart from some quite nice scenery, so he merely walked straight through it and began the trek up route 103, where Professor Birch's daughter was apparently doing fieldwork. It didn't take him long at all to find her; a girl about his age was lying on a tree branch several feet above the ground, looking closely at a nearby nest which contained a Flying Pokemon that looked vaguely like a seagull. The girl was dressed in the female counterpart to Silver's clothes, wearing mainly red, as well as some black shorts and an emerald green bandana that matched her eyes. As she saw Silver approach, she slid off the branch gracefully and landed at the base of the tree before straightening up and rubbing the dirt off her clothes.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked brightly, then her expression changed. She squinted and moved closer to Silver, pressing her face closer to his. Then she clicked her fingers and smiled. "I know you! You're Silver, from New Bark Town!"

"Wow. Has my reputation already preceded me to Hoenn?" Silver asked proudly.

"Hardly," the girl replied sarcastically. "I just have a great memory for faces. I met you in Goldenrod City's Pokemon Gym, remember? Just before you challenged Whitney. My name's Emerald, I'm Professor Birch's daughter," She held out a gloved hand, and he shook it, casting his memory back.

"Oh yeah! You looked at all of my Pokemon, didn't you? Quilava, Gastly, Drowzee and Hoothoot. Those were the days," he said fondly.

"So, did you beat her? She didn't seem like such a good Trainer to me, much less a Gym Leader," Emerald asked, looking at his chest for badges.

"Yeah, I beat her. But don't let her appearance fool you, her Miltank was super-powerful. My badges are all on my other jacket," he said, and her eyebrow arched sceptically.

"Yeah, right. So, is that a Torchic there? You must've got him from my father, right?" she changed the subject before Silver could set her right, and he nodded silently, catching sight of a Pokeball on her belt. She followed his gaze and smiled. "You want a battle? Are you sure? I haven't been a Trainer for very long, but me and Treecko are really close pals,"

"Me and Torchic are friends too, right?" Silver said determinedly, and Torchic nodded, standing ready for battle.

"On your head be it. Treecko, let's go!" A gecko-like creature appeared, flexing its huge tail and focusing its yellow eyes on Torchic.

"Wait a minute, Torchic. Let's see what the Pokedex has to say about our reptilian opponent," Silver said, flipping open the device and waving it in Treecko's direction.

"_Treecko. The Wood Gecko Pokemon. It makes its nest in a giant tree in the forest. It ferociously guards anything nearing its territory. It is said to be protector of the forest's trees,_" the Pokegear said.

"It says here that Treecko's a Grass type, so we've got the advantage!" Silver said enthusiastically.

"You don't know any Fire type attacks yet, dummy! That means we're level!" Emerald shot back. Silver was taken back at her manner, having been used to Crystal for so long, but he saw in her eyes the same fire that he felt within himself when he was in a battle.

"Let's show them, Torchic! Start off with a Scratch attack!" Torchic leapt forwards, his claws glinting as he prepared to rake Treecko.

"Treecko, use your tail to dodge upwards! Then use Pound!" Emerald ordered, and Treecko used his tail to flip himself upwards, before somersaulting back down and whacking Torchic over the head with the glowing appendage.

"That was a clever move. Torchic, are you OK?" Torchic leapt back up and nodded fiercely. "Then let's go for the unexpected too and use Growl!" Torchic hissed at Treecko viciously, and the Grass Pokemon seemed suddenly unsure of himself. "Now, use Scratch again!" Torchic took advantage of Treecko's uncertainty to charge in and launch a flurry of swipes from his tiny claws, sending Treecko reeling.

"Treecko, Pound again!" Treecko swung his tail around and batted Torchic away as he gathered his bearings again. "Now, Leer!" Treecko stood his ground and glared at Torchic, trying to intimidate him and lower his guard.

"You're brave enough to ignore that, Torchic! Finish him with a Scratch!" Torchic shook his head slightly to break eye contact with his foe and leapt in to attack again, scratching Treecko's face with his claws before finishing him off with an impromptu head-butt. Treecko fell backwards, and although he hadn't fainted it was clear who the victor was.

"Hmm. Maybe my dad was right to give you a Pokemon after all; you obviously have a bond of some sort with them. I guess a Gym Leader's kid couldn't be any different," Emerald said, kneeling down and stroking Treecko's head lovingly, but looking up at Silver with an odd expression on her face.

"Er... thanks. Your dad told me to introduce myself to you, because it would make a good start to my journey. If you're busy, we could always meet up some other time," he gestured the nest on the branch above them, then his insides froze. What would Crystal say if she knew he was asking another girl to meet him? More importantly, what would she _do_? Something involving lots of physical pain, no doubt. "Actually, I just remembered, I was supposed to meet someone in Petalburg City. See you later!" he turned tail and walked as fast as he could away, not looking back, and Torchic struggled to keep up with his long strides. "That was close, Torchic. But well done for winning back there; are you OK to keep walking, or do you want to stop off in Oldale Town for a rest?" Torchic nodded vigorously at the first option, so the two of them made their way through Oldale Town and started the slow walk up a route to the west, which led to Petalburg City. His father was the Gym Leader there, but he had never visited it before, and so was eager to see what it was like. However, his journey was interrupted by a young boy, who barred his path and tightly held onto a Pokeball; an obvious challenge.

"Are you a new Trainer, like me?" he asked, and Silver nodded. "Your Torchic's looking pretty tired, so this shouldn't be too tough. Poochyena, I choose you!" A small, black dog-like creature appeared, growling fiercely at Torchic like a badly-behaved puppy. Silver waved the Pokedex at it and found that it was a Dark type, which stunned him as he knew that Dark types were rare in Johto and Kanto. But perhaps Hoenn was a different story.

"Torchic, are you ready for this?" Torchic nodded and took up a battle stance.

"Poochyena, Tackle!" Poochyena charged at Torchic viciously.

"Torchic, jump up! Then use Scratch!" Silver said, and as ever his intuition paid off. He had seen from Torchic's Scratch attack that the Pokemon obviously had very strong legs, and it was a simple matter for Torchic to leap above the tackling Poochyena and slash him with his claws on the way past.

"Poochyena, Growl!" the Youngster ordered, and Poochyena snarled at Torchic nastily, trying to unnerve him.

"Torchic, use Growl yourself!" Silver countered, and it was a battle of the Growls as Torchic hissed and Poochyena snarled, feet away from each other. "OK, this is going nowhere. Torchic, Focus Energy!" Torchic closed his eyes and psyched himself up for battle, ruffling his feathers and concentrating on unleashing critical blows.

"Poochyena, now's your chance! Tackle again!" This time, Poochyena's Tackle hit home, and Torchic was sent rolling head-over-heels.

"Torchic, you're all powered up now! Time for one last Scratch!" Torchic hopped to his feet and charged at Poochyena, slashing his face with his tiny claws and causing him to slump down, out of breath and defeated.

"Poochyena, no! Return. Here's some money for you, it's not much, but..." the Youngster held out some notes, but Silver shook his head.

"No way! I don't want your money! My mum's saving up for me back at home, so you can keep it. Is it usual for Trainers to give out money here in Hoenn?"

"Only real Trainers like me obey the rules and pay up when they lose. Gym Leaders should, and the Elite Four too, but I don't know about anyone else," the boy replied, happily putting the money back into his pocket and walking off after saying goodbye.

"Finally, I'll be getting paid for what I love. It's about time," Silver joked, but Torchic was stony-faced, either uncomprehending or serious. "This is going to be one long journey," Silver sighed to himself, but Torchic wasn't listening, looking up at him for more orders. "Let's keep going then, Torchic. I haven't bought any Pokeballs yet, so I can't catch any of these wild Pokemon. Look at that, it's a... Zigzagoon? Is that what the Professor said? Weird! Look at that lily-pad thing over there..." Silver was entranced by the new Pokemon he saw everywhere he looked, and the air was filled with the mechanical voice of the Pokedex as it announced what exactly all of these wonderful beasts were. "I might come back here with some Pokeballs later, and catch me a new team member. How does that sound?" Torchic nodded soberly, and Silver sighed again. After being used to the enthusiasm of his old Pokemon, and especially Crystal's Tyrogue, Torchic was like a bucket of cold water in his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 3**

Petalburg City reminded Silver forcefully of Violet City, although it was slightly smaller and with more expensive-looking housing. He smiled as he remembered that Crystal lived in Violet City, and wondered idly whether he would meet a friend here too. There didn't seem much to do apart from the Gym, but he knew he had to investigate it nonetheless, and he and Torchic walked excitedly up to the entrance. Torchic seemed to think that he was in for another battle, and squeaked excitedly.

"Torchic, we can't battle Dad just yet! He's not here, and even if he was we wouldn't stand a chance against him. You were great against Poochyena and Treecko, but we've still got a bit of a way to go until we're ready for Dad. We may as well get a peek at the battle-field, though, and... Ow!" Silver rubbed his head as he recoiled from the locked front door, and sighed angrily to himself. He should really test each door first before entering; he had too many bruises on his head from locked doors in the Kanto region already. "Great. Looks like we won't even be able to do that. But we are going to heal you at the Pokemon Centre, Torchic, whether you like it or not. After two battles, you're going to need a bit of a rest,"

"Excuse me!" A frail voice came from behind just as Silver and Torchic started to leave, and they turned to see a thin boy walking slowly towards them. He was very pale and it seemed like a small gust of wind could blow him apart; his clothes hung loose and baggy on his skeletal frame, and he seemed to be trembling slightly as he approached, but not through fear or nerves.

"Can I help you?" Silver asked, looking at the newcomer, who smiled and pushed his green hair out of his eyes with a shaking hand.

"I can tell from your face that you're Norman's son. He told me that you and your mum were coming to Hoenn, after living in Johto for so long," he said. Silver was slightly on his guard; who was this boy, and why did his father trust him enough to divulge family business to him? "Norman's my friend and my hero. I couldn't wait to meet you, and I hoped we could be friends. My name's Wally," He extended a hand, and Silver shook it warmly, now knowing that he was talking to one of his father's fans.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Silver. Are you OK? You look a little... peaky," Silver finished weakly, and Wally smiled shakily.

"I don't have a very good constitution. Petalburg's air doesn't agree with me, because I'm... I've been a bit frail since birth. But that doesn't make me any less of a person, or any less likely to succeed," he finished quite fiercely.

"No, no, of course not. If the air here's making you ill, then why don't you move to somewhere with cleaner air? Maybe then you could get better," Silver suggested.

"That's what my parents are always saying. They've been trying to make me move to Verdanturf Town, but I knew I couldn't go before meeting you. I was hoping that we could be friends," Wally said shyly.

"Sure we can, Wally. Here, this is Torchic. I've got another team at home, but I'm not allowed to bring them with me on my Hoenn journey," Silver said proudly as Torchic and Wally looked at each other curiously.

"Wally, how many times? Always tell either me or your mother before you go out! What would we do if you vanished, and collapsed somewhere, alone and lost?" a man in a red shirt appeared behind Wally, clasping his shoulder in an iron grip and berating the boy with the familiar tone of a concerned parent.

"I'm not near death's door, Dad. I can fend for myself," Wally replied heatedly.

"But your illness is unpredictable! Look at you, you're shaking like a leaf! You're coming back home right now," Wally's father said firmly.

"Can Silver come back with us? He's my new friend, he's Norman's son," Wally pleaded as his father made to drag him away. His father's expression softened.

"A new friend, eh? Well, any friend of yours is welcome in our house! Especially one related to my good friend Norman," he said, looking delighted that his son had a friend, and Silver followed them back to an average-looking house, in the doorway of which Wally's mother was standing, looking distressed. She immediately ushered Wally inside after some choice words, then looked at Silver.

"Are you really my son's friend?" she asked quietly, glancing back to see whether Wally was listening, and Silver nodded. She beamed happily. "Wally has so few friends, because of his illness. He just can't leave the house much, we've been telling him for weeks now that moving to my sister's house in Verdanturf is what's best for him. Perhaps you can get through to him? I'm sure he'd listen to Norman's son,"

"Er... I'll do my best," Silver replied, and she smiled again. He followed Wally up to his room, and found it full of all manner of Pokemon merchandise; there were even crude and shaky sculptures of the creatures evidently done by Wally himself. Torchic stopped face-to-face with a Torchic doll, squinting at it and nudging it with his beak to see whether it responded.

"Well... here we are. My prison," Wally said with a bitter smile, indicating the bedroom.

"You obviously love Pokemon, Wally. Do you have any yourself?" Silver asked, to break the awkwardness as Wally continued to brood.

"I wish," he smiled, and his face was transformed from a pale mask as a huge smile spread across it and he gazed into space. "What I wouldn't give to travel around like you and battle other Trainers. But my parents won't let me; they say I'm too weak physically to handle such a trek. But one day, when I move out and start my own life, I'm going on a journey, illness or no illness," Wally said this with such passion and determination that Silver smiled, remembering how he had been just like Wally when he had first set out on his Johto journey. Without the rather large point of having a debilitating illness, of course, but the basics were similar.

"Maybe I can help you there. What d'you say we go out and catch you a Pokemon? You can take it with you to Verdanturf, and with a best friend and clean air you'll recover in no time. And plus, when you start out on your journey, you'll already have a really great Pokemon, with whom you'll have a close bond," Silver suggested, hoping to kill two birds with one stone; he would get Wally to Verdanturf Town, as per his mother's wishes, and get Wally a Pokemon, which he knew would make him incredibly happy.

"But my parents..."

"Your parents said you couldn't travel. But just owning a Pokemon... It can be like having a pet and a best friend rolled into one. You wouldn't have to fight anyone just yet. That can come later," Silver said with a smile. Wally deliberated his point, then broke into a huge grin.

"You're a genius, Silver. A genius, plain and simple. Will you help me catch it? Will you help me pick the best creature?"

"Sure, but remember, there is no best creature. They're all good in their own way. It's completely your decision; pick which one you feel closest to," Silver suggested.

"I've got a Pokeball here. I've had it for years now; your father gave it to me as a present when I was really young. It's only fitting that I catch my first Pokemon with it. So where shall we go? Is Route 102 OK?"

"Sure," Silver said as Wally snatched up a well-polished Pokeball from a nearby shelf. The two of them went downstairs and glanced nervously at each other; Silver didn't know whether Wally's parents would allow him to catch a Pokemon, but he couldn't reveal his plan to them with Wally here. "I think it would be best if you told them. It would show them that you can be independent and responsible when you want to be," he whispered, and Wally nodded, stepping forward to address his parents.

"Uh... me and Silver are going out for a walk," Wally said, and his dad looked up from his position on the sofa, ignoring the TV completely.

"Are you sure? Silver, Wally can sometimes come over faint, so perhaps I should come with you..." He actually made to get up before Wally stopped him.

"No, Dad. I'm going out to catch a Pokemon. I want a friend to come with me to Verdanturf Town. We won't travel around just yet, we'll just wait until I get better," His father looked stunned, his eyes wide for a second before he stirred himself into action.

"So... you've agreed to go to Verdanturf Town?"

"If I can bring a Pokemon with me," Wally said firmly, and Silver and Wally's mother caught each other's eye for a split-second, Silver winking and her beaming happily.

"That's fine. Go out and make me proud, son! Catch the best Pokemon you can," Wally's father said eventually, and Wally smiled and embraced his father.

"Thanks, Dad! You won't regret this. I promise I'll get all of my stuff ready as soon as I'm back, and set off for Verdanturf as soon as possible," With that, he strode out the door with new heart, leaving Silver awkwardly alone with his parents.

"Thank you, Silver. I think this might be the making of him," Wally's father said.

"Can I ask you a favour, please? Would you mind looking after Torchic for me whilst we're gone? He's had a couple of battles, and needs some rest..." Silver replied, and they nodded, accepting the small orange chick that grudgingly left itself in their care as its owner snapped the door shut behind him to catch up to Wally. As he fell into step beside the determined boy, he saw that Wally was no longer trembling, and his walking was strong and deliberate rather than shaky. It seemed that even the promise of Pokemon fired him up and made him forget about his illness. "So, d'you know what Pokemon live around Route 102?"

"Zigzagoon, Ralts, Lotad, Seedot and Poochyena, I think. A good array of fighters for any team," Wally replied; he had obviously researched the nearby Pokemon as much as he could in the absence of being able to catch one.

"Any idea which one you want?" Silver asked.

"I'm not sure yet. They all have different types, apart from Lotad and Seedot sharing Grass characteristics, so it's a good selection," They continued down the route slowly, rustling about in some bushes and long grass to see what they could find. Wally declined a passing Poochyena, and ignored a sleeping Zigzagoon, and he was seemingly looking for a Pokemon that would instantly bond with him.

"Hey, look at that one! What is it?" Silver asked, and waved his Pokedex at the creature several feet away. It informed him that it was, in fact, Ralts, known as the Feelings Pokemon. It was vaguely human-shaped, and resembled a small child cloaked in a white gown, but they couldn't see its face due to the green and red cap on its head. Silver heard Wally take a sharp intake of breath as he saw Ralts, and knew that this was the one. "All you have to do is hurl the Pokeball towards it. It should snap open and suck Ralts inside," he advised, and Wally raised his arm, which was now trembling again; but this time, due to nerves.

"Pokeball, go!" he cried, and threw the Pokeball at Ralts. As predicted, with a click it flipped open and the red beam struck the Psychic Pokemon, drawing it within. The ball shook once or twice, then sealed itself. Wally had caught Ralts!

"Alright! You did it, Wally!" Silver said happily, clapping Wally softly on the back as the boy walked over and picked up the Pokeball.

"Ralts, come out!" Wally said, not daring to believe it until he had seen it with his own two eyes, and the small creature appeared in a flash of red light.

"Ralts," it whispered in a high, melodic voice. Wally knelt down next to Ralts and smiled at it warmly.

"Hi, Ralts! I'm Wally, your new friend! I'm sure we'll have lots of fun together," Wally said, softly drawing Ralts into a hug. Ralts snuggled into him happily and cried,

"Ralts!" delightedly, returning its new master's embrace.

"Overview," Silver said to the Pokedex, pointing it at Ralts.

"_This particular Ralts is of the female gender. Its personality falls into the Possessive category, which means it will have a stronger than average bond with its Trainer,_" the Pokedex said robotically.

"Possessive? I know most of the personality categories, and I've never heard of that one," Wally said, straightening up as Ralts perched on his shoulder.

"Maybe it's a new one. I only got this Pokedex today, so it's probably one of the latest models," Silver replied, flipping the device shut.

"I don't mind, anyhow. A stronger than average bond, it said... That sounds fantastic. Ralts and Wally, inseparable and unbeatable, the best of friends," Wally said, stroking Ralts' head. It made Silver nostalgic again for the days in which Cyndaquil sat on his shoulder, and they felt similarly indestructible. "Silver, I can't thank you enough. I thought a Gym Leader's child might be a bit egotistical or arrogant, but you're the opposite. I've only known you for a day, and you're the best friend I've ever had,"

"I wish that you were allowed to travel, Wally, because I'd invite you to come with me on my Pokemon quest. But if you give me your phone number, I'll keep in touch. And if I'm ever in the vicinity of Verdanturf Town, I'll come and visit, if you want,"

"That would be great! But let's get back home for now. It's getting a bit late, so you can stay at my house tonight, if you want,"

"I wouldn't want to impose..."

"Don't be silly. My parents both like you, and they're friends with your dad anyway, so they'll be happy to let you stay. Come on, please?" Wally pleaded. Silver looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting a bit late in the day. He might be able to make it to his next destination before tomorrow, but then again, he had no time limit. He may as well have a sleepover at his new friend's house.

"Sure, I'd be delighted. You can introduce Ralts to Torchic," The two friends walked slowly back to Wally's house together, and Silver thought about old and new companions, wondering silently whether he would be travelling around Hoenn alone, or whether he would find another friend able to come with him.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 4**

Silver and Wally woke early that morning, despite talking long into the night about Silver's previous adventures, because Wally needed to leave as soon as possible for Verdanturf Town. They had a quick breakfast – Silver had cereal, whilst Wally had some special medicinal food – and then got dressed and washed. Torchic had kept Silver warm in the night by snuggling up to him with his warm feathery body, and he felt a new appreciation for the chick Pokemon after awaking feeling refreshed and alert for the new day. As he and Wally came back downstairs, fully dressed and ready, to Silver's surprise Norman was in the living room.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" he asked stupidly.

"I'm the Gym Leader here in Petalburg, remember? Some of us have a job to pin down instead of being lucky enough to travel around on journeys. Morning, Wally! That's a nice-looking Ralts you have there," Norman hailed Wally, who walked over to present the Psychic Pokemon to his hero. Silver smiled as he realised just how considerate a person his father could be.

"Silver helped me catch it. Me and you are best friends now, right, Silver?"

"Yep, that's us!" Silver replied jovially, mentally apologising to Scott and Crystal as he did so. But there was no reason why Wally couldn't be _one_ of his best friends.

"The taxi's waiting, Wally. Here, let me take your suitcase..." Wally's father said, and picked up Wally's case as the boy and his mother walked outside, preparing to see Wally and Ralts off. Norman and Silver were left alone in the living room, and it was Norman who spoke first.

"Thank you for being such a good friend to Wally. He'll never forget what you did for him," he said sombrely.

"It's nothing, really. I just helped him catch a Pokemon,"

"It may be nothing to you, but to someone like Wally, who's been sheltered and, some would say, trapped for his entire life, it's a very big thing indeed. He's my friend as well as yours, being an enthusiastic and intelligent boy, so I hope you two do stay friends. Well, I just visited here for long enough to say hello and wish you well. We'd better get outside and say goodbye to Wally," The two of them walked outside and saw that the taxi was revving up, ready to leave, but luckily the window was open.

"See you later, Wally. Stick with Ralts, and you'll both do great. Enjoy your new life in Verdanturf Town," Silver said, waving.

"Good luck, Wally. Perhaps someday we can battle, when you're feeling better and you've got a team of your very own. I shall be waiting," Norman said gravely.

"Bye, Silver! Bye, Norman! I'll battle you both one day, I promise! Me and Ralts will grow strong together!" With that, the taxi sped off down the road, and soon was lost to sight. Wally's parents had an arm around each other, and were doubtless recalling fond memories of their son, so after a mumbled thank-you Silver and Norman took their leave and walked down the street together.

"This is what being a good Pokemon Trainer is all about. Forging fellowship amongst humans and Pokemon, for the hope of a better world," Norman said pensively, looking up at the sky. There wasn't much Silver could say to that, so he changed the subject.

"Have you got any battles on today? I'd love to watch you,"

"Unfortunately, the only battle I have today is later on, when you'll probably have left for your next destination. But there are some good Pokemon to catch around here, if you wanted to,"

"Such as...?"

"Well, there's a large pond next to the Gym, in which dwells quite a nasty Water Pokemon, or so I'm told. I've unfortunately forgotten which species it is, but more than one Trainer has had trouble with it when they got too close to the pond for one reason or another. Even other Pokemon don't live in there anymore. There's the Petalburg Woods up ahead, too, where you can catch Taillow, a useful Flying type; Shroomish, a Grass type; or you can follow in my footsteps and catch a Slakoth,"

"I don't know whether I'd do very well with a Slakoth. You have to be patient whilst training them, and I generally rely on speed and agility rather than resiliency to survive attacks. If you've got a rod, I'll check out this pond for you; I may as well make myself useful now I'm here,"

"I'm proud of you for taking that stance. Have you had any battles since leaving?"

"Yep, two. One against Emerald, Professor Birch's daughter, and one against some other kid. Me and Torchic won them both,"

"Really? You beat Emerald? Then I have even more reason to be proud of you, if I needed any. She's been with her Treecko for a while now, but only yesterday was she allowed to leave on a Pokemon journey. I think it's you who spurred her into confronting her parents; until yesterday, she was only allowed to use Pokemon whilst doing fieldwork, or playing. But Professor Birch said she could travel on a Pokemon journey after she said you had beaten her. I think he might want you two to travel together, for safety reasons,"

"Safety?! Nothing will keep me safe from Crystal if she finds out I'm travelling with another girl," Silver replied darkly.

"You and Crystal are in a relationship now, rather than just being friends. Trust is needed more than ever," Norman parried wisely, and Silver sighed. With that argument, he had no real reason to reject Emerald if she asked to come with him.

"I meant to ask you! Do you know my friend, Scott? He's really up on the Gym Leaders of practically every region, as he's always been there to advise me, so I don't know if you've met before,"

"Perhaps. I meet a lot of officials and travellers and Trainers, being a Gym Leader. Many of them don't stick around for long enough to stay in my memory, unfortunately. And as I've gotten older, predictably my memory's gotten worse. Here we are..." They had reached the Gym, and Norman brandished a shiny key, which unlocked the front door. "I've probably got a good enough fishing rod in here. Whilst I get everything up and running, and wake my Pokemon up if they aren't awake already, you can sit on the edge of the pond and fish up whatever's lurking in there," he suggested, and eventually emerged from the Gym bearing an average fishing rod. "Here you go. I'll be out in a few minutes to check up on you," he said, then shut the door to the Gym and left Silver alone, Torchic being in his Pokeball. The pond itself was quite large, but very still, clearly not brimming with life like other bodies of water Silver had seen. It was muddy and clogged with weeds and lily-pads, which obscured whatever lay in wait within. He cast his line out and sat in silence, waiting for that tell-tale tug on the bait that heralded a bite. What creature would it be that lurked inside the pond? It must be pretty strong or vicious to cause problems for nearby Trainers. He was suddenly filled with doubt; Torchic, being a Fire Pokemon, was weak against Water types even on a good day. How would he fare against a powerful foe against which he had a disadvantage? He was about to pull the rod back in and give up when, ironically, it shuddered and jerked in his hands; something was on the other end!

"Oh! A bite!" he cried to himself, and starting to pull on the fishing pole as hard as he could. The wooden rod bent and almost broke as whatever was hooked tried to pull away, zig-zagging across the pond and dragging the line with it. It took all of his concentration and upper body strength to painstakingly winch in the line, dragging the Water beast closer and closer as it fought viciously against him. Eventually, a Pokemon broke the surface of the still pond, spitting out the lure and facing off against Silver angrily. It resembled a lobster of some sort, with huge pincers and a glare that could put Crystal's to shame. He opened the Pokedex and pointed it at the creature, and the mechanical voice once again issued forth.

"_Corphish. The Ruffian Pokemon. Once it grips prey with its pincers, it will never let go. It is a hardy Pokemon that can live in any environment._"

"Corphish, eh? Torchic, go! Let's see if we can teach him some manners," Torchic appeared from his Pokeball and stared back at Corphish, not flinching from the Water Pokemon's aggressive manner.

"Corphish!" Corphish said angrily, waving his pincers, and he charged forwards to attack.

"Torchic, Scratch attack!" Torchic jumped forwards to intercept Corphish, and let loose a hail of slashes from his talons that drove the creature back. Corphish snarled and grabbed Torchic's flailing leg in a Vicegrip attack, and Torchic squeaked with pain as the Water Pokemon increased the pressure. "Torchic, no! Growl!" Torchic hissed at Corphish, who was taken unawares and scuttled backwards slightly, letting Torchic go without even realising it. "Now, Focus Energy!" Torchic got back to his feet, limping slightly, and shut his eyes, trying to boost his power. However, Corphish had other plans, and unleashed a hail of bubbles from his open pincers, bathing Torchic in a super-effective Bubble attack. Torchic was thrown backwards, squeaking, by the exploding bubbles, and when he landed his eyes were rolling in his head. Corphish had beaten him! "Torchic, no! Right, you, I'll be back! If I had Politoed here, you'd see how a real Water Pokemon could fight..." he pointed at Corphish accusingly and scooped up Torchic, sprinting down the road to the Pokemon Centre. "Don't worry, buddy. It'll be alright. It was my fault for making you battle a Water type," he mumbled, and the now-conscious Torchic chirped once tiredly. The Pokemon Centre seemed similar to those in Johto and Kanto, except slightly more modern, although the nurse seemed inexplicably similar to all the other nurses.

"So you're another victim of Petalburg's resident Corphish, are you?" she said kindly accepting Torchic gently.

"Yeah. But I'm going to catch a Shroomish in the Petalburg Woods, then come back and teach him a lesson," Silver vowed, having made up his mind on the spot.

"I'm sure everyone here will be right behind you; that Corphish has driven off all the other Water Pokemon, and sometimes terrorises anyone living close by to his pond. I don't suppose you're related to Norman, are you?" the nurse replied.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm his son. I guess we look more alike than I realise," Silver said, embarrassed, as he stroked the face that so resembled his father's.

"Then I believe you'll be able to get rid of that Corphish once and for all. You can wait out in the garden whilst I treat Torchic, if you like,"

"Thanks. I'll do just that," Silver said, and went out into the garden to find a shady spot from where he could plot to take down Corphish. Shroomish, as a Grass type, would be strong against Corphish, but even then the Water Pokemon was still a formidable opponent. His reverie was broken as a familiar someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see Emerald, Professor Birch's daughter, with Treecko on her shoulder and one of the curious lily-pad creatures named Lotad at her feet.

"Hey, Silver! Remember me? The girl you deserted back on Route 103?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. My friend Crystal can be pretty... over-enthusiastic at times. I didn't think she'd be too thrilled if I spent too much time with you, but my dad talked me round. He said you wanted to travel with me?"

"Well, I'm apathetic. My dad wants me to travel with someone else, and I thought we could be friends and rivals, but if you don't want to I'm OK travelling alone,"

"Friends and rivals sounds good to me. So, is it your dream to be the Hoenn Champion, like me?"

"Yep. And a top Coordinator too,"

"Coordinator? What's that?" Silver asked, perplexed.

"Seriously? You don't know what a Coordinator is? You know, someone who participates in Pokemon Contests,"

"What are Pokemon Contests?" Emerald slapped her forehead and sighed.

"And here we have the incredibly clued-up and well-prepared Hoenn Champion, everyone," she gave him some sarcastic applause before continuing. "People basically show off how good-looking their Pokemon can be. Whether they're cute, or smart, or cool, or whatever, you enter them in a Contest and win a ribbon if you're good enough. There's a place called the Contest Hall in Lilycove City,"

"Wow. Well, thanks for the information. I might look into it. So it looks like we're travelling buddies! The solid team of Emerald and Silver!" Silver said, leaping to his feet and half-expecting to hear the cry of "Tyrogue!". Emerald, however, did not look impressed.

"And this is the guy who won all the Johto and Kanto badges? Boy, I've got to challenge them myself some time. I bet Lotad could beat them all by himself," Lotad looked up and smiled with his duck-billed mouth.

"Sorry. I'll be more serious in future. I didn't know that Hoenn Trainers couldn't crack a smile," Silver riposted, and Emerald laughed.

"I think we'll get along just fine. Don't listen to me, I'm just full of energy, and ready to beat all the Gyms. When are we going to leave?"

"I've got some unfinished business here first. Torchic needs to be healed up, which shouldn't take too long, then we're going to Petalburg Woods to catch me a Shroomish. After that, we're coming back here to battle a certain Corphish. And this time... it's personal!" Emerald shook her head sadly and thought, 'So this is what I'll have to put up with for a few months. Crystal, wherever she is, must be some sort of saint,'.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 5**

"So what you're saying is that I've already been replaced?" Crystal's voice burst from the Pokegear like a clap of thunder.

"Replaced? Crystal, I could never replace you. Emerald and me are just travelling around as friends and rivals; you know I can't go alone, or I'd never even reach the Gyms,"

"That's for sure. Without me and Tyrogue, you would've been sunk in Kanto and Johto," Crystal replied, her voice slightly happier now, and Silver heard Tyrogue cry out and undoubtedly punch the air from nearby. "How's Torchic, anyway?"

"He's fine. We had a battle with a horrible lobster called Corphish, but now we're heading into the Petalburg Woods to catch a Grass Pokemon to beat him,"

"It all sounds so exciting... I wish I was there. Have you seen Scott yet?" Crystal sighed.

"I wish you were here too. I haven't seen Scott, but then again, I don't know where the first Hoenn Gym is. He'll probably be lurking somewhere around there,"

"Well, give him my best. And keep your eye on this Emerald character; there's something about her I just don't trust," Crystal said, knowing full well that Emerald would be able to hear her voice from where she walked beside Silver.

"Crystal, trust me, I've got absolutely no interest in Silver beyond a travelling companion and rival. I mean, he called us the solid team of Emerald and Silver!" Emerald said exasperatedly, oblivious to Silver's 'shut up' gestures.

"Oh did he now? I thought _we_ were the solid team of Silver and Crystal! That was copyrighted by yours truly!" Crystal said, and Silver winced.

"Er, we're heading into the woods now. There's a sign here saying that reception's not too good, what with all the trees, so I'll have to say goodbye," Silver said, gesturing towards an imaginary sign and enforcing some much-needed damage control. "Before I go, let me just say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,"

"So calling you and a new girl a solid team is supposed to be flattering towards me, is it?"

"She's got a point," Emerald added.

"You stay out of this!" Crystal snapped. "Anyway, Silver, I'd better hang up before the reception's cut off by the trees. Love you," she said almost grudgingly.

"I love you too. Bye," Silver said, and switched the Pokegear off.

"Ouch," Emerald summarised bluntly.

"Oh, be quiet. If you hadn't stuck your big nose in..." Silver said, annoyed, but couldn't think how to end the sentence.

"If you're really meant to be, then she'll overlook your stupidity. Goodness knows that she'll need to do a lot of that in the years to come, so she may as well get prepared,"

"You really know how to cheer a guy up, don't you? Either that, or rub salt in the wounds. I don't know whether I'll be able to stand such a vicious companion,"

"Oh, well, sorry _my lord_. If you can't find it in your heart to stand me, then I'll give up my dreams and go back home," Emerald said sarcastically. They entered the Petalburg Woods in silence, looking around on the leafy floor for any Shroomish that may be scuttling about. The problem was, Silver had absolutely no idea what a Shroomish was, or what it looked like.

"Er... can you help me out here? If you see a Shroomish, tell me, because I don't know what they look like," Silver said sheepishly, and Emerald rolled her eyes.

"Why oh why did I have to be your companion? And there was such a cool guy called Brendan that left on his journey a few weeks ago now... I could've gone with him, but no, here I am, stuck with Silver the wonder Trainer, who can't tell a Shroomish from a Torkoal,"

"Geez, just let up on the insults for a minute, can't you? We can't all be perfect Emerald with her perfect life and perfect Pokemon. Some of us are aware of our own defects," Silver shot back.

"All too aware, if you ask me. Hey, look! That's a Shroomish!" She was pointing up at a small bird-like Pokemon that was sitting on a branch, looking puzzled by her verdict.

"That's a Taillow, you idiot," Silver said.

"I just wanted to see if you'd fall for it. Looks as if you aren't as silly as you look,"

"You're the one wearing a green bandana. Look! That's got to be a Shroomish, right?" Silver broke off excitedly, seeing a stout green-spotted creature nuzzling around in the undergrowth.

"Sure, it's a Shroomish. Probably. Possibly. Will you risk catching it to find out?" Emerald said devilishly.

"No need. I'll just see what the Pokedex has to say," Silver said smugly, pulling the device from his pocket and waving it at the creature.

"_Shroomish. The Mushroom Pokemon. It loves to eat damp, composted soil in forests. If you enter a forest after a long rain, you can see many Shroomish feasting on composted soil._"

"Hey! A Pokedex? How come you've got one?" Emerald cried, incensed.

"What? You mean you haven't got one?" Silver asked, then smiled as he realised he finally had one over on her. "Your own father didn't give you one. It just shows that he can spot true talent. Or else he just doesn't trust you with something so rare and valuable,"

"Pokedex's are for idiots. I don't need one, I already know enough about Pokemon," Emerald huffed, then stood back and waited for Silver to act.

"Come on out, Torchic! I've got a Pokeball here with Shroomish's name on it," Torchic nodded once and focused on Shroomish as Silver released him and fished a shiny new Pokeball from his messenger bag. "Use Focus Energy, whilst he's not looking!" Torchic gathered his power together as Shroomish continued to forage for food, oblivious to the threat close by. "Good! Now, hit him with a Scratch he'll remember!" Torchic leapt forwards and raked Shroomish with his claws, attacking from behind and catching the creature unawares. Shroomish cried out and rolled across the leafy floor, staggering to his small feet and looking blearily at his fired-up oppressor. "Another Scratch!" Torchic let Shroomish have it with another volley of slashes, but this time something went wrong. A cloud of spores burst out from the top of Shroomish's head, and floated down to envelop Torchic, who was quickly overcome and fell asleep. Emerald burst out laughing.

"I wondered when you'd find that out! That's Shroomish's Effect Spore ability. Any physical attacks against him or by him may make him release spores that can have a variety of effects. I didn't need a Pokedex to know that," she said smugly. Silver ground his teeth angrily.

"Well, Shroomish has still been hurt! Pokeball, go!" The Pokeball he had bought flew towards Shroomish and drew him inside, shaking a couple of times before sealing itself. "Ha! Who's laughing now?" Silver said, but Emerald was still smiling. A second later, he realised he had forgotten Torchic, who still slumbered on the ground, and returned him. "Shroomish, come out. Maybe you can use this Effect Spore to wipe the smile off Emerald's face for me," The Mushroom Pokemon emerged from his new home, looking around as if wondering what had happened. He looked up at Silver.

"Shroomish?" he asked in a questioning voice.

"I'm Silver, you're new Trainer. Let's have a closer look at you... Overview," he said firmly to the Pokedex, and it went into a more detailed explanation of Shroomish.

"_This particular Shroomish is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Naive category. It knows Stun Spore, Tackle and Absorb._"

"Wow, one step further there, saying his attacks. Are you trying to outdo yourself?" Silver asked it, but it gave no reply. "You'll be a great help against Corphish, won't you? Come here..." Silver patted Shroomish on the head, but he was engulfed in Paralysing spores for his trouble, and lay on the ground twitching for at least five minutes. Emerald was paralysed too, but with laughter instead of nerve-attacking natural spores.

"Get up, Silver. I warned you about his Effect Spore... Look at his face, he didn't even mean to do it, did he?" Emerald pulled Silver up and looked down at Shroomish, who was wearing an expression of worry.

"Don't worry about it, Shroomish. It wasn't your fault. Absorb should teach Corphish a lesson," Shroomish hopped up and down happily, then looked puzzled, wondering exactly who or what Corphish was. Silver sighed. "Looks like another addition to our dysfunctional family... Aargh! Don't tell Crystal I said that, she'll kill me,"

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Emerald said, amused, as Silver recalled Shroomish. They made their way back out of the forest and walked back to Petalburg City, despite Emerald's constant complaints; she wanted to press ahead to somewhere called Rustboro City, whilst he wasn't willing to let the Corphish matter rest. After a quick stop-off in the Pokemon Centre, where Torchic was awoken and Shroomish was given a check-up by the nurse, they headed back towards the pond, beside which the fishing rod was still lying. Norman was waiting there, looking at the two teens with an inscrutable expression on his face.

"I thought you were going to stay here and wait for me to come out?" he asked Silver calmly, but it still succeeded in making him feel guilty.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I just got caught up in the moment. First I fished up that big ugly Corphish, then I had to take Torchic to the Pokemon Centre, then I met Emerald and we went to Petalburg Woods to catch a Shroomish," he said quickly, hanging his head.

"Don't worry. Just remember to tell me next time, so I'm not worrying about where you are. So I see you two must be travelling together,"

"Unfortunately," both of them said at the same time, then smiled. Norman smiled too.

"I'm sure you don't mean that. So, you've caught a Shroomish? Very tactically-minded of you. A Grass Pokemon will do well against Corphish,"

"That's what I thought! Well, let's get this show on the road. Corphish, look to your laurels, because here comes Shroomish!" Silver released Shroomish and issued his challenge, oblivious to Emerald's sniggers. To his shock, Corphish answered his challenge by leaping from the water, ready and even eager for battle as he clashed his pincers together.

"A prime specimen. No wonder he's driven everything else off," Norman said approvingly, then stepped back and allowed Silver room for battling.

"OK, Shroomish, let's start everything off with a Stun Spore!" Shroomish prepared to unleash a cloud of spores, but Corphish was too quick, and darted into a Vicegrip attack. Unluckily for Corphish, this squeezing resulted in an even bigger and thicker cloud of spores being released, which floated down and covered the Water Pokemon completely. Corphish staggered backwards, his legs waving and his pincers slowly opening and closing as if gummed-up. "Nice one! Now, Tackle!" Corphish was rooted in place by the spores, and couldn't dodge as Shroomish slammed into him, almost knocking him back into the water. He tried to retaliate with a Bubble, but the few feeble bubbles he did produce popped almost instantly, so he began to slowly scuttle towards the water to wash off the Stun Spore. "Stop him, Shroomish! Absorb!" Shroomish hopped in front of Corphish and zapped him with green bolts of energy, sucking his power away and siphoning it into the Mushroom Pokemon. Corphish slumped down, his breathing ragged, and Silver saw his chance. "Pokeball, go! Catch me a Corphish!" Corphish was pulled inside the Pokeball, which shook a couple of times, then for the first time in Silver's memory the Pokemon under attack burst free, holding up his pincers triumphantly.

"Corphish!" he cried, and gripped Shroomish in another Vicegrip.

"Shroomish, he's still Paralysed! Use Absorb whilst he's up close!" Corphish's grip weakened as his own energy was leeched into Shroomish and used against him, until he collapsed backwards, looking worse for wear than ever. "Now I've got you! This Pokeball should still work, and I'd like to see you break out of it again!" Much to everyone's surprise, Corphish did break free again, on sheer guts and stubbornness. "You're a tricky customer. Keep Absorbing, Shroomish!" Shroomish sucked out yet more power, regulating the attack to slowly weaken Corphish and make him easier to catch. Corphish suddenly jumped up onto his crawling legs, and gleamed with a sheen which helped him dissipate Shroomish's power; a Harden attack.

"For goodness sake, Silver, Corphish's practically dead, and he's still fighting back!" Emerald 'encouraged' him from her removed position, and he picked up the Pokeball and lobbed it for the third time. This time, it merely bounced off, as Corphish's Harden did its job again.

"This is getting ridiculous. Shroomish, Tackle!" Shroomish sent Corphish flying away from the pond with another charge, and at last the Water Pokemon seemed to give up. The Pokeball sailed through the air for the fourth time, and this time it managed to seal itself. After a long and laborious battle, Silver had finally caught Corphish. "Ha! Well well, Corphish. Now we'll see if you're still so feisty now the shoe's on the other foot! Come out!" Silver let Corphish loose, and the creature looked up at him with bizarre respect; someone had finally put a stop to its roguish deeds.

"He looks happy enough to be in your team. Three Pokemon, in two days... Your team's almost half full," Norman pointed out.

"But all of them are great, you have to admit. Overview," He flipped open his Pokedex and pointed it at Corphish.

"_This particular Corphish is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Rash category, which is shown through an increase in Special Attack, but a decrease in Defence. It knows Bubble, Harden and Vicegrip._"

"An increase in Special Attack, eh? That's why your Bubble could floor Torchic so easily. Welcome to the team, Corphish," Corphish half-raised a pincer, then fully fainted, his eyes rolling. "Uh oh... we'd better get you back to the Pokemon Centre,"

"Then we're going to Rustboro City," Emerald interjected. "That's where the first Hoenn Gym is!"

"Great! I can't wait already," Silver said, partly because of the impending battle, and partly because it would mean seeing his old friends Scott and Hypno again.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 6**

The trek through the Petalburg Woods wasn't made any easier in the company of Emerald. Practically everywhere they looked, there were wild Pokemon or annoying Bug Catchers, and Emerald was intent on challenging them all to train up her Lotad and Treecko. What was worse, she took it upon herself to force Silver into training too.

"You won't stand a chance against the first Gym Leader if you don't train in combat conditions!" was her constant refrain, and Torchic, Corphish and Shroomish were put through their paces merely to keep her quiet.

"If it was up to me, I'd let you rest up and relax before the battle. Blame her for any cramps or pulled muscles you suffer tomorrow morning," Silver whispered to them; Torchic was limping after a badly-timed Scratch went wrong, Corphish was draped in silk from a Wurmple's String Shot and Shroomish seemed to have somehow Paralysed himself with his own Stun Spore.

"Treecko, Pound!" came Emerald's voice from around the corner, and Silver had to duck as a Cascoon went flying over his head, propelled by Treecko's huge tail. "Ha! Did you see that? This Gym Leader's going to stand no chance against me!" she said as Silver came into view.

"What if the Leader's a Fire type Trainer? Lotad doesn't know any Water moves yet, and Treecko's a Grass type, so you'd be in the soup," Silver pointed out.

"Well, just relaxing like you seem intent on doing isn't going to make the battle any easier, is it?" she replied with annoyance.

"Too much training can be harmful too. Pokemon need relaxation time or they just get tired and unwilling to battle. They're just like people, not just robotic warriors on some video game," Silver retaliated. Emerald deliberated on his point, and to his intense surprise she nodded.

"OK, fine, I see your point. Treecko, Lotad, that's enough for now! You were both great," Trecko hopped back onto her shoulder as Lotad was sucked back into his Pokeball.

"None of you are looking that sprightly, so I'd better call you back until we get to the Pokemon Centre," Silver said, looking over his own Pokemon and recalling all of them. All of a sudden, someone screamed from up ahead. Emerald and Silver looked at each other, differences forgotten, and sprinted over to the source of the noise. A man in green clothes was sprawled backwards on the ground, trying to crawl away from his oppressor as he clutched an important-looking envelope to his chest. The man standing above him was dressed in blue, and looked almost like a pirate, with a bandana like Emerald's on his head and a Poochyena by his side.

"Give me the envelope or suffer the consequences," the pirate said, and Poochyena advanced threateningly on the man.

"Hey! Aqua Man! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Emerald cried, stepping in front of the green-clothed man as Treecko got ready for battle.

"Get lost, kid. We're discussing this like adults," the pirate sneered, and Poochyena growled at her.

"Torchic, come out. Just in case this goes badly," Silver whispered, and the Chick Pokemon appeared by his side, to fill in for Treecko should the Grass Pokemon faint. He had been training for a while, after all.

"Treecko, Pound Poochyena!" Emerald ordered, and Treecko swatted the puppy Pokemon aside with a swipe of his glowing tail.

"Hey! I'll teach you to mess with me, punk! Poochyena, Tackle!" Poochyena charged into a head-butt that sent Treecko reeling.

"Treecko, Leer! Then Pound again!" Treecko fixed Poochyena with a glare that stopped him in his tracks, then launched into a full-fledged Pound that sent the Dark Pokemon crashing into his master, resulting in both falling to the floor.

"Ouch! Poochyena, return! I won't forget this, kid!" the pirate snarled, and ran off. Silver helped the green-suited man to his feet as Emerald watched the pirate run until he was out of sight.

"Are you OK?" Silver asked, and he nodded nervously.

"Thanks to your friend there. Otherwise, I would've been doomed, and this important document would have fallen into his nefarious hands," he replied shakily, brushing leaves and soil off his clothes.

"Glad to see you're alright. Judging by that logo on your shirt, you work for Devon Corporation," Emerald said, walking over to appraise the man herself.

"That's quite right. I can't thank you enough for saving me. Here, have this Great Ball as a reward. I was never going to use it; I'm no Trainer, after all! Well, I must be off, so thanks again," the man nodded at the two teens in gratitude before running off at quite an incredible speed.

"Yes! A Great Ball! Treecko, you were great," Emerald said, placing the Great Ball in her backpack, and patting Treecko on the head.

"Maybe you were right about this training thing. I didn't expect Treecko to win so easily, after a hard day's work," Silver admitted, and Emerald smiled.

"See? I am right about everything after all. I didn't need you or Torchic to save me,"

"So who was that guy anyway? I thought pirates died out centuries ago,"

"Pirates?" Emerald spluttered. "_Pirates_? He's a member of Team Aqua, dummy!" Once again Silver was the victim of Hoenn ignorance.

"What's Team Aqua?" he asked with trepidation, fully expecting some sort of verbal or physical abuse for his lack of knowledge and jumping backwards behind Torchic for protection.

"There's a programme on TV at the same time every day. It's called the news. Team Aqua's a squad that hopes to use Legendary Pokemon for evil; although they say they want to enrich everyone's lives, of course,"

"A villainous organisation? A _Team_?" Silver groaned, remembering his Team Rocket-fighting days from Johto with no fondness whatsoever.

"Yep. They're the rivals to the equally evil Team Magma," Emerald added.

"Two Teams?! Nooooooooooo!" he cried to the heavens.

"What's with the drama?" Emerald said sharply.

"I already helped to disband an evil organisation called Team Rocket, and now I'm faced with not one but two new Teams!" Silver said in reply, and refused to say a single word more on the subject, wondering how the universe could be so cruel. They traversed the rest of the Petalburg Woods in silence, Emerald happy with her new Pokeball and Silver brooding about Team Aqua, wondering why they wanted the documents of the Devon guy in the first place. It didn't take them too long to reach the end of the forest path and emerge in true daylight again, and they took the time to have some lunch on a picnic table.

"D'you mind if we sit here?" Emerald asked the only other occupant, a boy eating a watermelon and spitting out the seeds. He shook his head once before firing off another volley of black pips. Unpacking a few sandwiches and crisps they had been given at the start of their journeys, they sat and ate, tipping a pile of Pokemon food on the floor for the Pokemon and unable to tear their gaze away from the watermelon boy. Corphish, Lotad and Shroomish were too tired and weary to care, and eagerly dug into the Pokemon food, but Treecko and Torchic were focused on the seed-spitter. Just as they were scattering the crumbs of their lunch for the birds, recalling their Pokemon and packing away their cutlery and litter, Treecko, rather than jumping onto Emerald's waiting shoulder, spat out a stream of glowing seeds, which travelled far farther and quicker than the watermelon boy's. "What the...? Treecko, what are you doing? You didn't have any watermelon, did you?" Emerald asked, confused, but Treecko didn't answer, merely spitting out another blast of seeds.

"Your Treecko's learnt Bullet Seed, I think," the watermelon boy entered the conversation randomly through a mouthful of fruit. "Must be from watching me,"

"Bullet Seed? Treecko learnt a move from watching someone spit out watermelon seeds?" Silver asked, amused, and Emerald shrugged as a triumphant Treecko leapt onto her shoulder. "Torchic, why don't you have a go?" Torchic opened his beak and tried with all of his might, but nothing appeared. "I was only joking, buddy. Bullet Seed's probably a Grass type... yikes!" he cried, as Torchic spat out a thin stream of fire, hopping up and down happily and blowing out more and more embers. "Torchic, you learnt Ember! From watching a guy spitting seeds... Well, er... thanks. You've provided us with an invaluable service," he said to the watermelon boy, who smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.

"It's what I do," he said with a grin, juice dripping off his chin, and the two Trainers took their chance to leave. As they strolled slowly up the path, Silver spotted a sign pointing to a flower shop.

"Hey, look at this!" he said, pointing at it, and Emerald looked at him quizzically.

"You want to go to the flower shop? I never knew you flower-arranged in your spare time," she said sarcastically.

"But I thought it might be a landmark... oh, never mind," he said, and Emerald shook her head in either wonderment or mortification as he wondered whether Crystal would have wanted him to go, as it could have been the best flower shop in Hoenn. In fact, that gave him an idea! "We're going to the flower shop," he said decisively, and followed the sign down a small side-path.

"Asserting your male dominance by demanding a visit to the flower shop? I think we've got a bit of a conflict of interests here," Emerald said bitingly, but she was ignored, so she grudgingly followed her companion down the side-path. The flower shop itself was calm and homely, and full of heady scents from many beautiful and many-coloured blooms that shone down at them from every shelf. The larger, leafier pot-plants on the floor were even more impressive, especially to Treecko, who leapt of his master's shoulders to explore them happily. It was quite wet and misty in there due to the sprinklers, so Silver recalled Torchic; which was probably for the best, as with his new Ember talents he probably would have set something on fire.

"Can I help you?" a kindly woman appeared right next to Emerald, which made her jump and almost slip on the wet floor.

"Yes, can I please have a small bouquet of flowers that will travel well? I'm going to be sending them to Violet City," Silver replied enthusiastically.

"You're buying Crystal flowers? How sickening can you get?" Emerald said.

"Just look in the mirror to find out," Silver replied, in no mood for her 'witty observations' at the minute. He paid for the flowers offered by the woman, which came with a free Wailmer Pail to water them with, and left the flower shop with Emerald in tow, still seething and trying to think up a comeback for his last insult. "OK, when we get to Rustboro City, we've got to find the Pidgey Post Office straight away," he said.

"A Pidgey won't be able to carry that on its own. You'll need a Pidgeot, at least. Or a Fearow," Emerald said.

"Well, they'll all be available at the Post Office, won't they. Look, these flowers are violets. Violet City, get it?" Silver said eagerly.

"Aren't you the romantic. What are you going to do with that monstrosity?" she indicated the Wailmer Pail.

"Ah, I'm sending that too! She loves free gifts and souvenirs and stuff like that, so I thought it would be the considerate thing to do,"

"Plus you want to get rid of it. Not that I can blame you. Hey, who are those two?" Silver looked up from the flowers and saw that two identical twins, in identical outfits, were skipping towards them, both holding hands and clutching a Pokeball in the other.

"I don't know. Let's get out of their way, they don't look like they're going to stop for anything..." But Silver was wrong; the twins changed course and stopped directly in front of them.

"Hi! We were wondering whether we could have a double battle with you?" one of them asked.

"What, two on two? Sure, let's go! Get ready, Silver!" Emerald said, taking up a battle stance. "Treecko, I choose you!" Treecko jumped down and landed in front of her.

"OK, Torchic, let's test out that new move of yours!" Silver released the Fire Pokemon, who ruffled his feathers and awaited the fight eagerly.

"Lotad, go!"

"Seedot, go!" The twins shouted at the same time, and the two Pokemon appeared in front of their Trainers.

"Silver, take out the Seedot. You'll be super-effective against him. I'll go for the Lotad. We'd better strike first; Treecko, Bullet Seed!" It was an odd experience fighting alongside someone as focused and determined in battle as he was, but he found to his amazement that they were a great team.

"Torchic, use Ember on Seedot from the side!" he ordered quickly, and Seedot was blasted backwards into Lotad by a spray of fire just as Lotad was hit with a precision Bullet Seed from Treecko. The combined impact of attacks and their crash succeeded in knocking both of them out already. "Wow. Great job, you two," Silver complimented the two Pokemon, who shot and Ember and Bullet Seed combination into the air like celebratory fireworks.

"You were really good together. Fire and Grass are a great combination, evidently," Emerald said. The twins recalled their Pokemon and looked downcast at their easy defeat. "Don't look like that! We're just serious Pokemon Trainers. Some would say crazily serious. We're out to be Champions. I'm sure with a bit of training, your Pokemon will be great both alone and together," Emerald encouraged them, and they skipped away looking happier.

"That was a nice thing to say," Silver remarked.

"They're only young. I can't rip them to shreds like I would if I beat you," Emerald replied, with scary sincerity. Rustboro City lay up ahead, wherein lay not only a Gym battle for the two of them but quite unexpected events too.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 7**

If Silver had to pick one word to describe Rustboro City, it would be 'archaic'. The buildings were evidently old and made of weathered stone, with several of them looking like old churches or chapels from medieval times. The biggest building of them all fittingly resembled a huge cathedral, and Emerald informed him that it was the headquarters of the Devon Corporation. The Gym stuck out like a sore thumb, being an obviously new building that had been in Rustboro for less time than some of its residents. After a well-earned rest in the Pokemon Centre, and a quick trip to the Pidgey Post Office so Silver could send off the flowers, it was to the Gym where they first went; when you travelled with Emerald, landmarks took a back seat to battles. Waiting outside the door, as Silver had come to expect and look forward too, was Scott, with the Psychic Hypno standing ever-relaxed by his side.

"Hey, champ in the making! Had a smooth move to Hoenn, I take it?" he said, and Silver nodded, shaking his hand.

"It's good to see you again. This is Emerald, my new companion," Emerald spared Scott a nod before looking at the door. "Oh, go and wait inside, then. Scott's one of my best friends, so I'm staying out here to talk," Emerald walked inside the Gym with Treecko without a backwards glance. "Ignore her. She can be a bit annoying at times. Makes me wish I had Crystal back,"

"Yeah, us three were good together. Not forgetting Tyrogue and Togetic, of course. So, is everything going well?" Silver knew that Scott wasn't only asking about his move to Hoenn.

"Yep. We talk on the phone practically every day. Anyway, I'm here for a Gym battle! Here, have a look at the three Pokemon I've caught," Silver released Torchic, Shroomish and Corphish, allowing Scott to get a closer look at them.

"Torchic's a Fire type, whom you got from Professor Birch, am I right? And Shroomish is a Grass type from Petalburg Woods. This critter's a Corphish, and a feisty one at that, by the look of him,"

"You're right, as usual. So, who's the Gym Leader here?"

"Her name's Roxanne, and she trains Rock types. With Shroomish and Corphish, you should beat her without breaking too much of a sweat. Shall we go inside?"

"Sure," The two of them entered the Gym, which looked similar to the many others Silver had frequented in Johto and Kanto, and took to the sidelines as Emerald already faced off against the girl who had to be Roxanne. She wore black and white, formal clothes, almost like a school teacher, although she wasn't much older than the teen she faced. Her hair was jet black and her face quite sober, and all in all she was the polar opposite of the brightly-clothed Emerald.

"We'll use two Pokemon each. Geodude, I choose you!" Roxanne released a familiar boulder-like creature with two muscular, rocky arms.

"Treecko, let's show them how it's done!" Emerald said, and Treecko hopped to the battle-field's wooden floor. As the two Pokemon and their Trainers grappled with wits and strength, Silver looked over his own Pokemon, wondering whether they could perform as well as the undeniably agile and powerful Treecko fighting for Emerald's corner. Shroomish was fixated on the battle, completely still except for his small black eyes, and he seemed to be taking in Geodude's measure. The dome-shaped mushroom Pokemon seemed in good enough condition, seeing as he and Silver hadn't had much of a chance to bond yet, and he looked just as healthy and strong as he had appeared when Silver had first met him. Torchic, who was going to sit this battle out judging by the 'two Pokemon each' rule, seemed vibrant and determined, ruffling and preening his orange feathers and not looking in the least bit deterred by perhaps having to fight with a type disadvantage. Torchic had undoubtedly grown more powerful over the past couple of days and Silver knew that at this rate the Fire Pokemon would grow to rival Typhlosion in strength. But could they form that crucial bond? Last but not least was Corphish, whom Silver wanted to use first in this battle, as he hadn't worked with the Water Pokemon in a serious battle yet. Corphish's hard shell shimmered under the electrical lights, and judging by his expression and clashing pincers, he was half-contemplating dashing onto the field and attacking Geodude himself. Silver wondered whether he would be able to successfully control the roguish beast in battle or whether the Water Pokemon would suffer from 'Heracross Syndrome' and go berserker. He was so wrapped up in thinking about tactics and what Pokemon from his old team he would have used in this battle that he completely missed the battle; he was shaken awake by Emerald herself, and a battered but victorious Treecko on her shoulder.

"D'you reckon you could finish her off so quickly, so easily? I didn't even need Lotad!" Emerald boasted.

"Sorry, what? Oh, you won, did you? That was fast," he said blearily.

"You didn't watch? What were you doing here, sleeping?" Emerald said, hands on hips, in an annoyed voice.

"I was thinking about my own battle, thank you very much. But if you and Treecko can beat her so easily, I don't think I need worry," Silver replied.

"You really get under my skin sometimes. If you can't be bothered to watch my battle and pick up tips, then I'll go and wait outside whilst you wage yours," Emerald and Treecko stomped out of the Gym together, leaving behind a bemused Silver and a Scott torn between embarrassment and amusement.

"Like I said, she can be a bit annoying at times. Er... were you watching her battle, by any chance?" Silver asked Scott sheepishly.

"Of course. Roxanne uses Geodude and Nosepass. Emerald seemed to rely on Treecko's speed and accuracy with Bullet Seed to win, and that's why it was such a quick battle; with a type advantage and much more agility than the clumsy Rock Pokemon, Treecko won quite easily," Scott summarised.

"Corphish, get ready for battle! It's time to face my first Gym Leader!" Silver said, and Corphish waved his pincers around excitedly, scuttling forwards as eagerly as Silver as they approached the defeated Roxanne. "Er... hi. I'm Silver, from New Bark... I mean, Littleroot Town. Can I challenge you to a battle?" Roxanne looked him up and down, smiling.

"I'd love to battle you, but that last challenger left my Pokemon unfit for anything other than a good long rest. Perhaps tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Well, OK. It'll give me something to look forward to,"

"Yes, I'm sure I'll feel the same way once my Pokemon have had some treatment. Goodbye,"

"Bye. Come on, Corphish!" Silver dragged Corphish away by the tail as the Water Pokemon clashed his pincers angrily, not happy at being denied a new victim. "She said I can battle her tomorrow. So today, we can rest up and see the sights!" he said to Scott as he and Hypno left the Gym alongside them.

"You're taking this well, I must say," Scott pointed out.

"I'm pretty relieved, to be honest. I only caught Corphish and Shroomish today, after all, and they haven't had much of a chance to rest or click with me yet. Remember back in Celadon City's Gym, where I beat Erika and didn't lose a single Pokemon? Before the battle, we had a day of rest, exploring the City, which probably contributed to my success. Now we can repeat that," Silver explained.

"Corphish doesn't look too happy about it," Scott said, and Silver recalled the Water Pokemon to stop his struggles. Shroomish, luckily, looked fine with having a relaxation day, whereas Torchic looked as indifferent as ever. Emerald was waiting outside, and looked surprised at seeing Silver come out already.

"You didn't... you can't have... no. There's no badge on your chest," she sighed in relief.

"Scared that I'd beat her quicker than you?"

"No way! Nobody could match Treecko's speed!" Emerald snapped back, seemingly insulted.

"We're going to battle tomorrow. Today, we're exploring," Silver said, gesturing in no particular direction.

"Exploring? Can't you just forget about this Gym and come with me to Dewford Town?"

"What? Are you leaving straight away?"

"Sure. Now that I've got a badge, I've proved I can take care of myself. I don't need a chaperone anymore. So are you coming to Dewford or not?"

"No way! I can't miss out a Gym, or I won't be eligible to challenge the Hoenn League!"

"Suit yourself. Maybe I'll see you sometime, if you ever make it past Roxanne," Emerald said, one last insult before walking down the street towards the Pokemon Centre.

"Wow. Separating already? We couldn't even make it through a whole day," Silver said, scratching his head.

"Some people just don't get along. But we'll have to keep an eye out for her; she's a pretty good Trainer," Scott said.

"Well, come back out, Corphish! It's just us four now, apart from when we meet up with Scott and Hypno of course. How does that sound?" Torchic looked up at him blankly, Shroomish hopped up and down happily, and Corphish actually made to crawl back to the Gym for a second shot at Roxanne. "Come back here, Corphish! It looks like we'll need more than one day of relaxation after all,"

"Ah, don't worry. When you spend enough time with them, eventually you'll understand each other. You were pretty lucky with your other Pokemon, as all of you bonded straight away, and all of them got along. Sometimes it's not that simple. Anyway, the day of exploration! If it's OK, can me and Hypno come along? I'm not going to leave Rustboro, just to come back again tomorrow morning for your battle,"

"That'd be cool. First stop, Devon Corporation! We need to get Crystal a pen, or book, or something at least with the logo on it,"

"Good plan. She'll probably be happy enough knowing that Emerald's gone,"

"True, very true. Hey... that guy looks familiar!" Silver suddenly spotted someone up ahead, someone who looked vaguely like a pirate, who was clutching an envelope in one hand and, bizarrely, a caged Wingull in the other. Chasing him half-heartedly was the very same green-suited man they had met before.

"He was a Team Aqua Grunt. That means he's up to no good. Shall we investigate?"

"Of course. Come on, guys. Time to do our good deed for the day," Silver's Pokemon followed as they caught up with the green-suited man, not a difficult task due to his less-than-stellar physical fitness; he had already stopped, exhausted, and was breathing heavily. "Are you OK?" Silver asked urgently, as Scott watched the Aqua Grunt flee, marking his path.

"I'm... I'm fine, I'm fine... but that man stole my envelope! There are important details enclosed in it, and Mr. Stone will have my hide if I let him get away!" the man panted, pointing weakly after the fleeing Grunt.

"Don't worry, we'll help you. Scott, can you take him to the Pokemon Centre or something where he can sit down and rest? I'm going after the Aqua guy," Silver said, and Scott nodded quickly.

"Come with me. Trust Silver, he's a great Trainer. He'll get those documents back in one piece," he led the man away and left Silver alone with his Pokemon.

"OK, guys, we've got one important envelope and one trapped Wingull to save. Let's go!" He ran after the Grunt as hard as he could, making allowances for his Pokemon, and eventually came to a halt outside a rocky cave. There was a hut nearby that had a sign over the door; 'Tunneller's Rest Stop'. "So if diggers are needed, that must mean it's not complete. Which means our Aqua man has trapped himself," Silver surmised. He and his Pokemon slowly entered the cave, which was quite well-lit from an unknown source, and there seemed to be several dozen wild creatures hiding in cracks in the wall, peering down at them nervously. "Wow! What are they?" Silver waved the Pokedex at the nearest creature, which shivered nervously, and it said,

"_Whismur. Its cries equal a jet plane in volume. It inhales through its ear canals. Because of this system, it can cry continually without having to draw breath._"

"No way am I catching one of them! It would be like having Emerald with me again, in Pokemon form!" Silver shivered, and steered clear of the beasts. Unfortunately, Corphish couldn't resist testing out whether the Pokedex had spoken truthfully, and nipped one of the nearest creature's ears tightly in his pincer. Silver was nearly blasted off his feet by the high-volume cry that emanated from the beast, creating sound waves so powerful they distorted the air. He covered his ears from the pain with one hand and dragged Corphish away with the other, running as hard as he could. Shroomish and Torchic sprinted after them as they hurtled deeper into the cave, away from the oppressive screeches. When they were finally out of range, they slumped down, panting and waiting for the ringing in their ears to die down. "Nice one, Corphish. Now I know why you're classed as a Rash personality," Silver said, but Corphish didn't look in the least bit sorry; if anything, he looked scandalised, as if he had helped them out by proving beyond all doubt that Whismurs were in fact very loud creatures. "Torchic, Shroomish, are you alright?" The two of them nodded painfully, and Silver got to his feet. His hearing had returned enough for him to pick up the sounds of scrabbling and cursing up ahead, as well as the screeching of some sort of bird. "Looks like we've found our targets. Get ready, guys," The Pokemon steeled themselves for battle as they edged forwards, finally spotting the Aqua Grunt trying desperately to clear away a massive cave-in. The caged Wingull at his feet was making the racket, and the Aqua Grunt was the one cursing as he realised he had no hope of shifting the rocks. "Hey, you! I think it's time to finish what Emerald started earlier, don't you?" he called, and the Aqua Grunt turned quickly, tensed-up like a trapped rabbit.

"Emerald? The kid in the Petalburg Woods? Yeah, she was tough, but she's not here now. Poochyena, defend me!" the familiar dog-like Pokemon appeared from his Pokeball, growling angrily over the screeches of Wingull.

"Let's see... Poochyena's a Dark type, so I guess it doesn't matter which one I choose. Corphish, you can take the field, to try and channel some of that aggressive energy somewhere positive," Corphish crept forwards, snapping his pincers eagerly.

"Poochyena, Tackle!"

"Corphish, use Harden!" Poochyena bounced off the shiny shell of Corphish, his Tackle having done minimal damage due to the Ruffian Pokemon's protection. "Now, use Vicegrip!" Corphish grabbed Poochyena's tail in his claws, and the puppy Pokemon howled with pain and tried to escape.

"Poochyena, Bite!" Poochyena grabbed Corphish's tail in his jaws, but the hard armour plates, coupled with the Harden, allowed Corphish to shake off the blow quite easily.

"Corphish, Bubble! Blast him away, then finish with a Vicegrip!" Corphish dislodged his attacker with a stream of exploding bubbles, sending him flying backwards with a yelp. Then the crab-like creature scuttled forwards, loomed over Poochyena and clasped his head between his pincers, knocking the Pokemon out with a sharp increase of pressure.

"Poochyena, no! Return! Here, catch!" the Aqua Grunt sneered, throwing the Wingull cage and the envelope at Silver, taking his chance to dash off to freedom. Corphish followed him a short way, clashing his pincers in victory, before crawling back to Silver expectantly.

"Well done, Corphish. You beat Poochyena easily. Can you use your claws to crack open this lock?" Silver lowered the cramped cage down, and Corphish had little trouble in destroying the lock with his powerful pincers. The door swung open, and with a great screech the Wingull within burst free, flapping off towards the exit without looking back. "Well, that's gratitude for you. I don't know why I bother some of the time. Let's get out of here before it caves in or something," Silver huffed, and he and his Pokemon made it back to the cave entrance, avoiding Whismur as much as they could and holding back the curious Corphish whenever one reared its purple head. As they exited, they were jumped by an old man, who had the Wingull perched on his shoulder.

"Peeko! You saved my Peeko!" he said in salty sailor's tones, and Silver nearly jumped out of his skin, wondering whether the guy was crazy with gratitude or just plain insane. Then he realised that Peeko must be the nickname of the Wingull.

"Oh, yeah. You should thank Corphish here rather than me, he did all the work," Corphish waved his pincers happily at the compliment as the old man thanked him.

"Such a fine specimen; Water Pokemon have always been my favourite. By the way, I'm Mr. Briney. I live nearby Petalburg Woods, and that Team Aqua Grunt stole my Peeko to use as a hostage. I'm glad you sorted him out for me,"

"It was nothing. Is Peeko OK?"

"She's fine, just a wee bit distressed. But I can always calm her right down when need be," he said proudly. "Now, whatever can I do to thank you? I won't abide being in anyone's debt, never have been and never will be,"

"It's really not necessary..."

"Oh, but it is. Are you a Trainer? Perhaps you need transport to Dewford Town. There's a Gym there, you know," he said knowledgably.

"Yeah, I know. Is it an island, then?" Mr. Briney nodded. "Well, in that case, I'd be glad to take you up on your offer. I've just got to beat Roxanne in Rustboro City first,"

"Fine, fine. I'll just wait for my summons in my house by the beach. Right near the Petalburg Woods; you can't miss it," Silver and Mr. Briney walked back to town together, thanking each other profusely before splitting up. Silver headed for the Pokemon Centre, where he hoped to find Scott, and lo and behold the sunglasses-wearing man was waiting outside with the Devon worker.

"Here's your envelope. Sorry, but the Aqua guy got away," he said guiltily, handing over the envelope.

"Don't worry about that! You've already been a great help to me. Mr. Stone will want to thank you in person for this, you mark my words. In fact, let's go and see him now. Non-employees aren't usually allowed up onto the higher floors, but you'll be welcome after what you've accomplished today,"

"Wow, thanks. Can Scott come too?"

"Of course, of course," Scott and Silver followed the green-suited man and his all-important envelope through the city streets until coming to a halt outside the cathedral-like building they had spotted before. It was time to pay a visit to a certain Mr. Stone of the Devon Corporation.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 8**

The Devon Corporation building was as grand and impressive on the inside as it was on the outside. Lush carpets, portraits of former Corporation Presidents and fine sculptures lined the corridors, and yet most of the rooms were filled with what Silver could most accurately describe as junk. Hundreds of mechanical bits and bobs were piled up, fitted together or experimented on whenever they looked through a door, although each room seemed to contain a different sort of engineering project. There was a space project, a communications project, even a ludicrous project that claimed to be searching for the way to restore Fossils to life. However, none of them seemed to be in working order; some of them were barely beyond the blueprints stage.

"It really is an engineer's dream to work for Devon Corporation. They provide the ideas, we provide the parts and machinery, and together we can create miracles," their green-suited guide said excitedly, which Silver thought conveyed their enthusiasm and aims perfectly. He had been forced to recall his Pokemon for fear of never-ending havoc, particularly where Corphish was concerned, although Hypno still walked between him and Scott, looking as laid-back as ever. By the end of their tour, both Scott and Silver were feeling excited at what lay in the future, and what technology could do for the world. However, they were also nervous, as they stood outside the President's door; a man by the name of Mr. Stone. "Please, don't worry. Mr. Stone will be grateful. He really is a good boss," their guide ensured them, and opened the door, beckoning them inside. The President's room was huge, with a giant window behind the desk that gave him a perfect view of the city, as well as more than one undoubtedly expensive pot-plant in each corner. The President was an unremarkable man, dressed in a sharp grey suit and hat, with similarly grey hair and moustache. He was sat in a leather manager's chair, and was in conversation with a young man wearing a purple shirt and black trousers. The young man looked round as he heard them coming, and he had similar features to the President; except his face was smooth and his hair still retained a blueish colour that had drained out of Mr. Stone's. "That's his son, Steven. A powerful Pokemon Trainer and a collector of rare stones, much like his father," the guide whispered.

"Steven's very strong; he loves Steel types, and despite being soft-spoken he's really talented. Almost like an explorer, who delves into ruins for precious stones," Scott said quietly.

"I don't see any badges on his shirt," Silver whispered back.

"There are no badges on your shirt yet, but it doesn't mean you're not a great Trainer. Not all Trainers take the Gym challenge; some aren't interested in becoming Champion," Scott replied.

"It's those dark horses that you have to watch out for. Ah, Mr. Stone! And Master Stone, what a lovely surprise," the guide addressed the boss and his son with a wide, subservient smile.

"Yes? Who are these people, Weatherby?" President Stone said, looking at the two newcomers with piercing eyes.

"This is Silver, a Pokemon Trainer, and his friend Scott. They recovered these documents from a thief and I thought that I could give them a guided tour by way of thanks, sir," the green-suited Weatherby replied. Mr. Stone smiled.

"So, you helped Devon Corporation, did you? Help the Corporation, and you help me. I think you deserve something more than a guided tour. Silver; you're a Pokemon Trainer, are you?"

"Y... Yes, sir," Silver said, stepping forwards.

"Then this may be of some use to you. It's called a Pokenav; a phone and a map, in one small package. We've just developed it," He handed Silver a small mechanical device and he pocketed it gratefully; finally he had a replacement for his beloved Pokegear.

"Thank you, sir. I'm sure it will be really helpful,"

"That's quite alright. And you... who might you be?" Mr. Stone asked Scott. Scott smiled.

"We've met before, although understandably you don't remember, as it was about three years ago now," he walked over and whispered something in Mr. Stone's ear.

"Ah yes! I recall now! Well, I know how I can reward you for your good work," he said, but didn't elaborate, leaving Silver feeling frustrated. He and Crystal had been trying to guess Scott's job or hobby for ages now.

"So, Silver, you recovered the documents from a thief. That means you must be a Trainer of some calibre," Steven Stone said in a soft voice.

"I don't know about that; he only had a Poochyena. I don't even have the first Hoenn Gym badge yet," Silver replied.

"Badges are merely trinkets symbolising an official scale of judgement on your skill and power. They mean nothing next to a close bond with your Pokemon," Steven said mysteriously, then shook Silver's hand with his cold one. "Thank you for helping my father's company. I have a better memory than my father, and thus I remember you, Scott, as a friend," he moved onto Scott and shook his hand, too.

"Thanks, Steven. It's good to see you again," Scott said warmly.

"Is Silver your apprentice?" Steven asked, looking from one to the other.

"Apprentice?" Silver asked, confused, but Scott interrupted;

"No, he's just a friend. One of my best friends, in fact; we travelled around Johto and Kanto together whilst I was there on my own little mission,"

"Then I too can count him as a friend. But I must be leaving now; the Granite Cave awaits. Goodbye, father. Weatherby. Scott. Silver," Steven nodded at each in turn before sweeping out of the room. Silver had mixed feelings about Steven; he wasn't like anyone he had ever met. He was polite and formal, but obviously very deep.

"My son does not call someone a friend lightly. Think well on his words, Silver; Steven has a rare connection with Pokemon that surpasses mere battle skill. Perhaps you have that same bond, being a friend of the esteemed Scott. If that will be all... I'm quite busy, being the President..." Mr. Stone said awkwardly, and after saying their goodbyes Weatherby led them back through the building and outside.

"Once again, I can't thank you enough for saving those documents. I only hope the Pokenav can be enough reward," he said, then shut the door and went about his business.

"That was pretty good fun. Interesting, too," Silver said. "But what did he mean about me being your apprentice? And what was all that 'esteemed Scott' business?"

"I'm afraid it's pretty top-secret stuff. I'd like to tell you, but I don't know whether it's going to happen or not yet. Devon played a big part in helping me devise it, so I had to tell them about it. Let's just say that my dream is to bring together Trainers and Pokemon. To get the cream of the crop all together, so only the best of the best can demonstrate their talents in an environment where they are among their own kind," Scott stopped talking, and Silver was left hanging.

"Oh, come on! You can't say that, and then not continue! What is this place? Where is it? How long have you been working at it?"

"Silver, please, don't ask me any more questions. Just trust me, as a friend. When, or if, it gets finished, you'll be the first to be invited,"

"Fine, I won't ask. So, what else is there to do in ol' Rustboro City?" Silver sighed, and Scott perked up a bit.

"Why don't you check your Pokenav? It's got a Hoenn map on there, after all," Silver pulled the device out of his pocket and unfolded it; it worked a lot like the Pokegear, luckily, but the controls were even simpler and the map more precise.

"Apparently, there's absolutely nothing, apart from the Gym. There's a Pokemon Trainer's School, but I don't think I need to go there, somehow. Oh no! We forgot to get Crystal something from Devon Corporation!" Silver slapped his forehead as he remembered.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I'll go back in and ask about whether I can have something with their logo on. You can explore around here for a while," Scott said. Silver knew that Scott wanted to speak with Mr. Stone in more detail about this project of his without him there, so he consented to meet Scott back at the Pokemon Centre in half an hour or so, walking slowly back to the blocked-off cave where all the Whismurs lived, if only for the walk. As he sat down on the grass, relaxing with his Pokemon quietly, he suddenly spotted a scuffle taking place close by. A particularly large Poochyena was battling a small, white Bug, who was losing miserably against his superior opponent despite having the type advantage. However, Poochyena kept up the attack; if there was one thing Silver didn't like, it was a bully.

"Shroomish, Tackle that Poochyena!" Shroomish jumped to Silver's command and rammed Poochyena away from his victim. The two Pokemon squared off, neither giving an inch as the Bug twitched and whimpered close by, then as Corphish and Torchic moved to back up Shroomish, the Poochyena gave up the fight and darted off into the undergrowth. Before Silver or his Pokemon could approach the beaten Bug, it was surrounded by several other members of its own kind, who emerged from burrows close by, which lay at the roots of a particularly large tree. Chattering in their incomprehensible language, they had a short conversation with the loser, before crawling back into their holes and leaving him lying there. Silver moved closer and waved his Pokedex at the creature as his Pokemon crowded around in concern.

"_Nincada. The Trainee Pokemon. It makes its nest at the roots of a mighty tree. Using its whisker-like antennae, it probes its surroundings in the pitch-darkness of soil._"

"We'd better get Nincada back to the Pokemon Centre; his so-called friends obviously don't care about him," Silver jerked his thumb at the burrows and scooped Nincada up tenderly, running back to the Pokemon Centre with his Pokemon following on behind. "Can you look after this Nincada, please? He's a wild one, but he got left all alone after being beaten up by a Poochyena," he explained hurriedly to the nurse. She pursed her lips disapprovingly and said,

"You should have really let nature take its course; interfering with wild Pokemon but not catching them doesn't generally turn out well. But as you've gone to the trouble of saving him, I'll do my best,"

"Thank you. I'll wait in the garden," Silver said with relief, and sat down in a soft chair in the garden. "Go and have some fun, guys. I'll wait here if you need me," He knew that his Pokemon would bond with each other better by unwinding, so sat alone as they went over to the pool. Corphish splashed Shroomish with water playfully as the mushroom Pokemon butted a bouncy ball between him and Torchic; Torchic kicked it towards Corphish, and it built up more and more power as Corphish whacked it with his heavy claws. Soon it was ricocheting between the three uncontrollably, although Shroomish seemed to be getting more and more stunned as it bounced off his head rather than legs or claws. Eventually, the ball hit him just that bit too hard, and Torchic ran for cover as Corphish slipped beneath the water's surface, fleeing from the accidentally-released spores that burst from Shroomish's head. Silver smiled as he watched them play; perhaps he could forge an effective team out of them just yet. After a while, Nincada was wheeled out on a padded trolley; one of his legs was bandaged, and several plasters were taped on his body to cover up his many minor injuries. Nincada waved its antennae and squeaked as it spotted Silver, and the nurse pushing the trolley smiled.

"For a wild Pokemon, he's remarkably passive. No wonder he was beaten by that Poochyena. But he seems to like you, at any rate," She gently lifted Nincada up and put him delicately down on Silver's lap. "He should be able to go back into the wild after a day or so of rest. Can I trust you to look after him until then?"

"I won't let him leave my sight," Silver promised, and the nurse beamed.

"It's Trainers like you that make my job worthwhile," She bowed and left Silver alone with Nincada as Corphish rose above the surface again testily, looking around for more spores as Torchic poked his head out of a bush inquisitively. Luckily, Shroomish's spores had dissipated, and he was running in a circle with such enthusiasm and contentment that it made Silver laugh.

"Simple things... Anyway, how are you, Nincada? Poochyena didn't pull his punches out there," Nincada's antennae drooped and he squeaked sadly. "Hey, hey, don't look like that! I didn't mean to depress you. But hopefully you'll be up and running in a couple of days, right?" Nincada looked doubtful and Silver could see the regret in his eyes. "So those other Nincadas... were they your friends? Family?" Nincada shook his head twice. "Er... a colony of some sort?" Nincada nodded. "I should've guessed; no friends or family would desert you like that. They're a pretty harsh crowd, that's for sure. I mean, losing a fight isn't necessarily bad, or shameful. Sometimes it can be a good thing, especially when you learn from it. With a name like the Trainee Pokemon, I bet you were just trying to train up so you can evolve, am I right?" Nincada squeaked excitedly. "I'll help you out there. Let's have an overview from the Pokedex,"

"_This particular Nincada is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Docile category. It knows Scratch, Harden and Leech Life._"

"No wonder you couldn't beat Poochyena if you're docile; that guy was a big, vicious bully. I promise, Nincada, that when you get better, I'll help you evolve. Then you can go back and teach Poochyena a lesson, and get accepted back into your colony," Nincada looked up at him doubtfully. "I know it's scary to face up to a bully, but don't worry. You've got friends. We'll help you. That's Torchic, and he's a Fire Pokemon. I got him from Professor Birch just a couple of days ago. Shroomish is a Grass type; look at him, he's still running in a circle. Corphish can be pretty scary at times, even to me, but deep down I guess he's not so bad. You can be a temporary, honorary member of the team!" Silver knew he had to get Nincada's confidence back up, and this seemed to do the trick, as Nincada seemed a lot happier.

"I thought I'd find you here. Who on earth is that? A Nincada? Did you catch another Pokemon?" Scott appeared from behind, holding a pencil bearing Devon Corporation's logo to send to Crystal.

"He's not mine, exactly," Silver said, and explained about Nincada's predicament.

"So Nincada's part of the team now, is he? Great! I'm Scott, and this is Hypno," Scott introduced himself to Nincada, who looked nervous, but Silver's presence seemed to reassure him. "Nincada's a dual Bug and Ground type. Could be useful against Electric types; they won't be able to hurt him,"

"It's a Dark type that we need to take down; that Poochyena," Silver said darkly, and started to think up tactics as Scott looked at the Pokenav, pulling up a seat beside him.

"Your next destination's Dewford Town, way to the south,"

"Yeah, I know. Some guy called Mr. Briney offered to give me a lift," Silver said.

"Ah, so you've met him. He was a great sailor in his prime. The best, some would say. He and his little boat are still by far the fastest things on water, and will get you to wherever you want to go quicker than any average ferry,"

"So you know him? Have you met everyone in Hoenn, or something?" Scott laughed.

"No, not exactly. I've just been here before, and it's sort of in my job description to make contacts wherever I can," Silver didn't bother to ask him to elaborate. "It's getting pretty late now. I've booked us in rooms at the Pokemon Centre; here's your key,"

"Thanks. You're certainly well-prepared. Tomorrow, I'll set my sights on a certain Rustboro City Pokemon Gym!" Silver said excitedly, leaping to his feet and dislodging Nincada. "Oops! Sorry, Nincada. I can be a bit short-sighted at times,"

"With you as a temporary Trainer, he'll do well not to suffer worse injuries than what he's already got," Scott joked. Silver sighed.

"And with Emerald gone, I thought I was going to escape the insults..."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 9**

"Wake up, Nincada. I know it's too early for any normal person to be awake, but I've got my Gym battle today, and I want to be able to fit in some training with you for a while afterwards," Silver yawned as he lightly tapped the sleepy Nincada that lay on his bedside table on the head, and slowly got dressed and washed as the Bug Pokemon reluctantly roused itself from slumber. He was looking forward to his battle with Roxanne, from which he would hopefully emerge with a Stonebadge, but he never had been a morning person; that was Crystal's job. Without her here to wake him up each morning, he had to rely on the horribly piecing alarm of the Pokenav; a device which, when it roughly awoke him this morning, had almost found itself being hurled out of the window. But now that Silver was fully awake, he began to feel excited again about the impending battle. Releasing all of his Pokemon, he checked that they were all in tip-top condition before scooping up Nincada again, walking down the hall to the food court where other sleepy Trainers were getting their breakfast.

"Silver! Over here!" came a familiar voice, and he looked over to a corner to see Scott and Hypno already eating. He collected some food for himself and his Pokemon before stumping over tiredly, flopping down beside Hypno and yawning again as sleep threatened to overcome him. "Hello? This is planet Earth to Silver, do you read me?" Scott said, waving his hand in front of Silver's face, and Silver snapped back into wakefulness.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm just tired. That horrible alarm woke me up several hours earlier than planned,"

"It was lucky that I set it rather than you, or we'd have to wait for mid-afternoon for you to wake up. You're worse than Snorlax," Scott joked. "How's Nincada doing?"

"I think he's feeling a little better. His appetite seems fine, at least," Silver gestured down to Nincada, who was eating alongside the other Pokemon with gusto.

"Wow, not even Corphish is picking a fight with him. He must be a personable Pokemon," Scott remarked.

"Yeah, the Pokedex says he has a Docile nature. But that's not exactly great for battles, is it? And we need battles if we're going to train Nincada up quickly,"

"I recommend that you forget about Nincada and his training regimen for now; it could affect your concentration whilst you battle Roxanne," Scott advised.

"Good plan. But maybe Nincada can get something out of watching me battle,"

"It's possible. Anyway, if you're all full up..."

"I'm fine, and so are the Pokemon, but Nincada's still chewing away. He's like an eating machine," Silver said, watching the Bug Pokemon make his way steadily through the piled-up food with remarkable quickness for one so hurt.

"Now _he_ reminds me of Snorlax," Scott said, amused.

"Can you carry him to the Gym, please? And Hypno, would you mind taking the rest of that food with you? Nincada can eat it whilst he watches me battle. Otherwise we'll be here all day," Scott picked up Nincada gently whilst Hypno gave Silver a thumbs-up, levitating the food with his Psychic powers but betraying absolutely no effort on his relaxed face. "Are you ready for this, guys? Our first Gym battle. What d'you think, Shroomish? Are you up to the challenge?"

"Shroomish!" Shroomish hopped up and down, a determined expression on his face.

"What about you, Corphish? I hope that Bubble attack's in good working order,"

"Corphish!" Corphish waved his pincers and scuttled off ahead, forcing the others to chase after him as he made his way to the Gym.

"Torchic, can you look after Nincada for me? Just wait on the sidelines with Scott. You can cheer me on as well, if you like," Silver suggested as he hurried to catch up with Corphish, Torchic running beside him. Torchic responded with a single grave nod, but Silver hadn't exactly been expecting a fanfare from the serious chick Pokemon. Corphish waited outside the door impatiently, still waving his claws, as he wasn't tall enough to reach the doorknob. "Here, let me do that for you, Corphish. Whoa! Slow down, buddy!" Silver was almost bowled over by the Water Pokemon as he sprinted inside the now-open door, eager to challenge anyone and everyone who got in his way. "Shroomish, return. It looks like Corphish will be up first, whether I like it or not," Silver recalled the Grass Pokemon as Roxanne made her appearance from a side-door, to be greeted by an angry Corphish that barred her path and seemingly wanted to challenge her all on his own. "Corphish, come back here! Sorry, Roxanne. He's a bit over-enthusiastic," Silver explained, dragging Corphish backwards so that Roxanne had some breathing space.

"Don't worry about it. Welcome to the Rustboro City Gym, Silver. I have looked forward to your challenge since yesterday, and I want to wish you the best of luck in winning a Stonebadge. Two Pokemon each?" Roxanne smiled expectantly.

"That's fine by me," Silver said as they took up their positions. "Corphish, I choose you!" he said redundantly, as Corphish was already on the field, clashing his claws in anticipation. "Er... good luck to you too," he added to the Gym Leader, seeing the look on Corphish's face, and Roxanne tittered.

"Geodude, go!" Roxanne released the boulder-like creature Silver had seen the previous day, when it had battled with Emerald's Treecko. If his memory served him correctly, it was a dual Rock and Ground type, which made him doubly weak against Corphish's Bubble. However, it was Roxanne that struck first. "Geodude, Rock Throw!" Geodude used his rocky hands to dig up chunks of the stadium floor, hurling them at Corphish in a heavy barrage of debris.

"Corphish, Harden! Hang in there!" Silver ordered, and Corphish's shell shone with a bright sheen, allowing him to shrug off the worst of Geodude's attack as the rocks merely pushed him backwards.

"Try a Rock Tomb, to seal him in place!" Silver didn't know what Rock Tomb did, but nothing with the word 'tomb' in the title could be anything good. Geodude slammed the stadium floor as hard as he could, and a small wave of rocks and dust hurtled at Corphish, slamming into him, swirling around him and trapping his legs so he couldn't move.

"Corphish, can you get out of there?" Silver asked, but Corphish was well and truly stuck. "Use your Vicegrip to break free!" Corphish viciously attacked his rocky prison, ripping at it as hard as he could with his undeniably powerful pincers.

"Now's our chance, Geodude! Tackle!" Geodude sped forwards and slammed into Corphish dead-on; his rocky body prevented any damage to him, so it was the immobile Corphish who took all the punishment.

"It's our chance, not theirs, Corphish! Grab Geodude with a Vicegrip, now that he's nice and close!" Silver turned Roxanne's technique on its head, something that he liked to think he was pretty good at, and Corphish tried his best to crush Geodude's almost unfeeling arm between his claws as he grabbed him before he could retreat.

"Geodude, Mud Sport!" Roxanne said, another unfamiliar move; Geodude spat a glob of mud into Corphish's face that surprised him enough to let the Rock Pokemon go. However, Corphish merely shook the mud off and was no worse for wear after the attack whatsoever. What was more, he had pried himself loose of the rocks, and stood mobile and ready for action once again.

"Way to go, Corphish! Let's show him a Bubble attack!"

"I wondered when a Water attack would be coming. Geodude, dodge!" Geodude did his best to duck and weave between the volley of exploding bubbles, drawing closer to Corphish all the time, but he wasn't built for agility and Corphish quickly nailed him. The Rock Pokemon fell to the floor with a crash, bellowing in pain as Corphish kept up the attack, scuttling closer as he poured on the power. A move that did quadruple the normal damage, coming from close range and powered by a particularly vicious Pokemon, was one that Geodude didn't have much chance of surviving; sure enough, when Corphish deigned to end the Bubble stream, the Rock Pokemon had fainted.

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish cried, waving his pincers in victory and getting ready to face off against his next foe.

"Geodude, return. Luckily for me, I graduated the Trainer School here with top honours; I knew that Water Pokemon would definitely be my prime foes whilst being a Rock type Gym Leader. Thus I have this Pokemon prepared to deal with Water types! Nosepass, I choose you!" A Pokemon that reminded Silver vaguely of an Easter Island head emerged, but with arms, legs and a big red nose. He waved his Pokedex at it quickly.

"_Nosepass. The Compass Pokemon. Its body emits a powerful magnetism. It feeds on prey that is pulled in by the force. Its magnetism is stronger in cold seasons._"

"Now that's weird. But I don't see how magnetism can stop Corphish," Silver said, watching the Rock Pokemon stand stock-still against his lobster-like foe.

"It isn't magnetism that's going to be the problem. Nosepass, Shockwave!" Nosepass' nose shone and crackled as it gathered together electro-magnetic energy, before blasting a bolt of lightning straight at Corphish.

"Dodge it, Corphish!" Silver ordered, and Corphish scuttled to the side, but the lightning bolt twitched and changed course, zapping Corphish cleanly and lighting him up with the energy. Such was the unexpectedness and power of the attack, it succeeded in defeating even the stubborn Corphish in one hit. "Corphish, no! I didn't expect a Rock type to have Electric type moves. But you beat Geodude well anyway. My next Pokemon isn't going to be nearly as badly affected by that Shockwave; Shroomish, go!"

"Ah, a Grass type. Very clever. But Nosepass can overcome adversity, as he has done many times before," Nosepass stayed in place, not giving any indication he had even heard his Trainer.

"Shroomish, if we strike quickly, this one's in the bag. Start off with a Stun Spore!" Shroomish dashed forwards on his short legs, blasting forwards a wave of shining spores that Nosepass was much too slow and clumsy to avoid. Although the creature still didn't make a single move, Silver knew that the spores had settled on him and done their job well.

"Nosepass, Shockwave again!" Nosepass blasted out another bolt of lightning, but Shroomish shrugged it off easily, looking to Silver for orders.

"Use Absorb! That way, you'll replace the damage Nosepass inflicted and hurt him with a super-effective move too!" Shroomish scurried forwards quickly, stopping a foot from Nosepass and zapping him with his own bolts of green energy, sucking away his health and replenishing his own.

"Nosepass, Tackle!" Nosepass leapt forwards through the Absorb attack with amazing speed, slamming heavily into Shroomish and tossing him away. "Now, Shockwave again!"

"Shroomish, stay strong! I don't think we can dodge this whatever we do!" Silver warned, but the expected blast of lightning didn't come. Sparks crawled all over Nosepass' nose, but the crucial bolt wasn't forming. Then Silver remembered the Stun Spore. "He's Paralysed! Use Absorb again!" Shroomish blasted Nosepass with energy again, slowly sapping away the Rock Pokemon's formidable constitution.

"Keep trying to build up the Shockwave! Don't move a muscle, just try and flow with the electro-magnetic energy!" Roxanne cried, and Silver could see why she was had been an honour student in the Pokemon Trainer's School. Eventually, it was a pitched battle between the Shockwave blasted out by Nosepass and the Absorb of his smaller opponent, a crackling yellow and green battle that flowed first one way, then the other. Silver had seen many of these types of duels before in his career as a Trainer, so he knew just what to do.

"Shroomish, Tackle him!" Shroomish stopped his attack and head-butted Nosepass unexpectedly, but what was also unexpected was that the Shockwave changed course and followed Shroomish rather than dissipating against the arena floor, as Silver had expected. Then he remembered that Shockwave evidently hit whatever dodges you tried to pull off. "Sorry, Shroomish. Finish him off with another, close-range Absorb!"

"Nosepass, Harden! Shrug that attack off!" Roxanne encouraged, and Nosepass shone with a familiar protective sheen that made it more difficult for Shroomish's attack to hit home. "Take your time and summon up another Shockwave! This time, try and use as much power as you can!"

"Shroomish, can you up the power of your Absorb? Things are going to get nasty pretty soon, and I want to make sure it's us who come out laughing," Silver said, and Shroomish nodded, focusing even harder and pounding Nosepass with more and more bolts of green energy. Silver bit his lip as Nosepass' nose began to glow again, crackling with electricity, then, all at once, the Rock Pokemon keeled over backwards, landing with an earth-shaking crash like a toppled statue. His nose stopped glowing and he was as limp as a huge lump of rock could possibly be.

"Nosepass, return. I must have either underestimated Shroomish, or overestimated your resilience. It will not happen again. As for you, Silver, have this Stonebadge. You deserve it after such an exhilarating battle. Just try and keep that Corphish of yours under control,"

"I'll do my best, but don't be too surprised if you hear of my failure. Yes! Shroomish, we won a Stonebadge!" Silver raised the grey badge high and hugged Shroomish, and was subsequently doused in sleep-inducing spores from Shroomish's inadvertent Effect Spore ability. It was an ignoble ending to his victory, lying slumped and snoring on the battle-field floor, but it was a victory nonetheless.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 10**

"Shroomish, we really need to control that Effect Spore of yours," Silver said groggily. He had been slapped awake by Corphish with disturbing relish, and left the Gym with Scott, Hypno, Nincada and the rest of the Pokemon in tow, leaving behind a Roxanne who was determinedly trying to keep a straight face.

"Shroomish," Shroomish hung his head sadly as he walked alongside his master, and Scott finally managed to control his suppressed laughter and said,

"Leave Shroomish alone. He won you that badge, right?"

"Yes, I know, and you really were good Shroomish. You too, Corphish. But it's weird thinking that whenever I come close to you, Shroomish, I might get Paralysed, or put to sleep, or even Poisoned! Ah, don't listen to me. Hopefully I'll build up a resistance to it in time. Let's go to the Pokemon Centre; you're still smoking slightly, Corphish, and we need to get you another check-up, Nincada. Did you watch the battle?" he asked the Bug Pokemon in Scott's arms. Nincada squeaked once through a last mouthful of food, which probably meant that he had been too focused on eating to even realise a battle was going on.

"It's your training day today, Nincada. You'll evolve if we have to spend the whole day working, right?" Scott asked, but after swallowing the last remaining chunk of Pokemon food and snuffling about with his antennae to find no more, Nincada dropped straight off to sleep like a particularly odd-looking baby.

"He's just as pumped as the rest of us," Silver said sarcastically. "Ah well, I guess he deserves some rest after being beaten yesterday. Tomorrow, it's off to Dewford Town!"

"And your second Gym battle already. Will you take Nincada with you, even if he hasn't evolved by then?"

"Of course. I meant what I said to him. Excuse me..." he said, hearing his Pokenav ringing. He had phoned up everyone he knew to give them the new phone number of the Pokenav, now rendering the Pokegear completely obsolete; however, he had sent it back home for safekeeping purely for nostalgia's sake. "Hello?"

"Hi, Silver. It's me, Crystal. I just got those flowers and the Devon pencil now, and I wanted to phone you up to say thank you,"

"Crystal! Don't worry about it. I saw the flower shop, and I thought of you straight away. And the flowers are violets..."

"As in Violet City, I know. You can be really thoughtful when you want to be. So, have you won your first Gym battle yet?"

"Yep, just now. Shroomish and Corphish beat Roxanne's Rock types pretty easily. I've had tougher battles, let's just say, but that's probably because I had a type advantage this time. I've got a nice shiny Stonebadge to add to the collection,"

"What about Emerald? Did she get beaten?"

"No, but we're not travelling together anymore. She was too impatient and went to my next stop straight away after beating Roxanne,"

"Ha! I knew she wasn't of the right calibre to be a true sidekick," Crystal said happily. It seemed the flowers, the Devon Corporation pencil and Emerald's departure had all combined to make her day.

"Hi Crystal. Remember me?" Scott asked jovially.

"Scott! I bet you helped Silver out again with this Gym, didn't you?"

"I did my best, and it looked like it paid off,"

"Like it always does," Silver said. "Well, I've got an urgent date with the Pokemon Centre, so I'll speak to you later. Bye!"

"Bye! Bye, Scott! You too, Hypno!" Crystal put the phone down and Hypno gave the Pokenav a thumbs-up.

"It's always nice to hear from an old friend," Scott remarked, and Silver nodded in agreement, feeling more happy and enthused than ever after the call.

"Let's go! I'm sure they'll have training equipment in the Pokemon Centre, so we can spend the rest of the day there," When they reached the Pokemon Centre and handed over Nincada, Corphish and Shroomish for some well-earned healing, Scott and Silver went into the garden, carrying several implements that wouldn't look out of place at a human gym. There were weights, braces, chest expanders and more, all designed for Pokemon use, that Silver hoped to train up his squad with in the most traditional fashion. Scott even went one step further and got a CD player, as well as some apparently motivating music called 'Eye of the Gligar'. "Shall I get Torchic going, or shall we wait for everyone to start?" Silver asked him, as Torchic looked from one to the other beadily.

"I'd wait for everyone. Some Pokemon work better when there's competition," Scott suggested, and Silver knew he was thinking of Corphish. Eventually, their Pokemon were returned one by one, with Nincada having been stripped of his bandages and plasters already.

"You're obviously a quick healer, aren't you? Thanks," he added to the nurse, who bowed and backed away. "Which is lucky, really, for what we've got planned. Ah, and finally here comes Corphish. How are you?" Corphish waved his pincers excitedly, a steely look on his eye. "Let's get this training session going, then!" After a few minutes of setting up and testing out equipment, Silver, Scott and Hypno were treated to an odd little scene, the likes of which they had never seen before, but one which was immensely entertaining. With the music playing in the background, Shroomish ran on the spot, his face creased with determination as his tiny legs waved. Beside him, Corphish lifted weights in his pincers, up, down, up, down, a grim look in his eyes. Further on, Torchic was bending back and forth, stretching his muscles and trying to improve his balance, whilst Nincada lifted a much smaller set of weights in his antennae, looking understandably doubtful about the whole set-up. "Keep those knees up, Shroomish! Come on, Corphish, you can lift those higher! Torchic... well, I don't even know what you're doing, so I won't interfere. Nincada, it isn't time for a tea break yet!" Silver strode up and down the line, dishing out compliments and orders, stopping the submissive Nincada from slinking away more than once. "Come on, Nincada. We're doing this for you. We can't give up just because the going gets tough!" he said to Nincada softly, and the Bug Pokemon went back to his weights, training beside Torchic again as the Fire Pokemon bent every which-way. After a while, Silver called a halt for lunch, and the Pokemon eagerly gathered around the Pokemon food after their work-out.

"Whew! I'm exhausted just watching them," Scott said, shifting into a more comfortable position in his chair and moving a nearby parasol slightly so it blocked the sun.

"It's going to get even trickier after lunch. Nincada's going to take on one Pokemon after the other in a series of short training battles," Silver said, and Scott spluttered from his drink.

"You're not serious? Torchic's super-effective against him, and do you really think Corphish is going to pull his punches?"

"Well, neither is that wild Poochyena. Nincada needs to toughen up a bit if he wants to evolve,"

"You're a harsh taskmaster, but I suppose you're right. But I'd get a nurse to stand by, just in case," When the Pokemon had eaten their fill, Silver explained his plan to them. Nincada shivered involuntarily as Corphish waved his pincers around in excitement.

"Corphish, you can't go first. Shroomish, you're up; Nincada, get ready for action! Just use whatever moves come to mind!" Shroomish stepped forwards uncertainly, waiting for an attack that may never come as Nincada looked around nervously. "Come on, Nincada! You can do it! Show us your Leech Life, or Scratch!" Silver encouraged, and Nincada crawled forwards slightly; his antennae glowed a bright green colour and a thin strand of energy connected the two combatants as Nincada did his best to pull off an effective Leech Life. Shroomish squirmed in discomfort, but didn't seem to be suffering too much damage as Nincada's attack appeared more annoying than painful. Suddenly, Nincada gave up on it, and moved closer to Shroomish, slashing him lightly with one of his foreclaws in an attempt at the Scratch attack. Shroomish looked up at Silver nervously, wondering what he should do in the aftermath of the ineffective blow, but Corphish decided for him, scuttling forwards and whacking him out of the way before hammering Nincada with a close-range Bubble attack. Nincada was thrown backwards, and his eyes rolled and his legs twitched in defeat. Corphish looked around at his master happily, waving his pincers and expecting praise for such a powerful attack, but Silver's head was in his hands. "Corphish! What did you do that for? That isn't going to make Nincada's job any easier! Listen, you guys, we're not going to use our full strength against Nincada as he's pretty weak in his current level of ability. But together, we'll train him up and evolve him into a powerful warrior!" he said conspiratorially as Scott nursed Nincada back to consciousness. When the Bug Pokemon's eyes finally opened, a change seemed to have come over him. He jumped to the ground and ran over to Corphish, swiping him across the face with one of his claws so hard he left a mark there.

"Hey! That must've been a Scratch attack!" Scott said enthusiastically.

"Corphish!" Corphish recovered from the shock quickly and moved to grab Nincada in a Vicegrip, but the Trainee Pokemon dodged away and hit Corphish with a noticeably more powerful Leech Life.

"Well well! It looks like Corphish really got Nincada's goat. Keep at it, Nincada!" Silver said happily; Corphish spared him a withering glance before sending off another volley of bubbles. Nincada leapt out of the way and struck Corphish with another Scratch attack that sent him reeling. "OK, that's enough for now. Well done, Corphish! You've brought out a side to Nincada that I never would have guessed," Silver recalled Corphish as the Ruffian Pokemon looked set to get really brutal with his attacks. Nincada chattered in victory as Corphish was forcibly retreated, and the other Pokemon crowded around him happily. "Nice job, Nincada. Looks like our training paid off, eh? Who wants to go next, Shroomish or Torchic?" Both looked indifferent, so the Fire Pokemon 'volunteered' to do battle. Nincada's change was so powerful and unexpected that Torchic was caught off-guard several times, and was forced to use his Ember to defend himself; unexpectedly, Nincada was so psyched up that he emerged from the fiery attack singed but still ready for battle, sweeping Torchic off his feet with another Scratch. Shroomish went down a similar route, with Nincada acting so much like a proper Pokemon battler that the mushroom Pokemon was caught unawares and sent reeling with a single powerful Leech Life. Silver was forced to withdraw his two Pokemon before they got seriously into the battle and ended up hurting Nincada, thus resulting in a triple-victory for the Bug Pokemon.

"Nincada, that was fantastic! Out of the blue, certainly, but fantastic nonetheless," Scott admitted, and Nincada waved his antennae happily.

"I agree with Scott. You beat all three of my Pokemon by yourself! If I were that Poochyena, I'd watch out," Silver said, which made Nincada even more excited. Not too excited to eat, however, as he devoured his way through a whole plate of Pokemon food given to him as a post-battle treat before collapsing into slumber once again. "If his battling ever gets as good as his eating, even Corphish will be in serious trouble," Silver said, holding up the empty plate upon which sat nothing more than a few crumbs.

"He can't be long off evolving now. I'll miss him, which is weird since I've only known him for a couple of days,"

"Me too. I don't think Corphish will, though," Silver said ruefully, tapping Corphish's Pokeball.

"Well, you can't please everyone. I think Nincada evolves into something called Ninjask, which is really, really super-fast. One of the fastest Pokemon in the world, I think," Scott said knowledgeably.

"You wouldn't believe it, looking at him now. D'you think we'd be able to go to Dewford Town tomorrow, or will Nincada need another day of training?"

"Why don't we bring Nincada with us to Dewford? That way we'll kill two birds with one stone," Scott suggested.

"So today we'll train and rest, and tomorrow it's off to Dewford Town! You may as well come with us, as it seems silly to split up then meet again straight away," Silver offered, and Scott nodded.

"It'll be nice to see Mr. Briney again. If he remembers me, of course," But it wasn't meeting Mr. Briney again that made Silver feel excited; it was the Gym that awaited him there, and the badge that it contained with his name on it.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 11**

"Hello? Is anybody in there?" Silver called as he knocked on the door of the small hut. They were close by to the Petalburg Woods, standing on a beach upon which was built the house of Mr. Briney. There was a dock next to the shack, beside which rested a small but remarkably new and high-tech looking boat. Silver had released Corphish, as Mr. Briney had shown a liking for the Water Pokemon before, whilst Scott, Hypno and Nincada waited behind him. Eventually, the front door opened, and there stood an old, grizzled sailor with a Wingull on his shoulder.

"Who is it? Ah, the boy who saved my Peeko! And his mighty Corphish, too! Are you needing transport to Dewford, then?" Mr. Briney asked.

"If that's OK," Silver said, as Corphish waved his pincers happily at the compliment. "Can my friend and his Pokemon come too?"

"Let me see whether they're of proper seafaring spirit first," Briney replied, moving closer to Scott, Hypno and Nincada and eyeing them beadily.

"Hello, Mr. Briney. My name's Scott; you might remember me from before? We met a couple of years ago," Scott said, backing away and smiling nervously.

"Yep, I remember you. I may forget a face, but never a name! You're the proprietor of the new Battle..." Mr. Briney started, but Scott darted over and covered his mouth quickly.

"Er... sorry about that. Security measures, you know the drill..." he said, releasing the old sailor after looking him directly in the eye and gesturing towards Silver.

"I get it, I get it. Top secret; you can count on me and Peeko," Mr. Briney winked and looked at Hypno critically. The Psychic Pokemon looked straight back, as cool as a cucumber.

"I vouch for Hypno. He's my friend and a former Pokemon to Silver here," Scott said quickly, and Mr. Briney agreed to have him on board before stopping before Nincada.

"And who's this scurvy beast?" he asked, pressing his face close up to identify the Bug Pokemon, who shivered and hung his head at being addressed thus.

"Nincada's my friend. He's just as important to me as Corphish is," Silver said, and Mr. Briney grudgingly allowed the Bug on board of his vessel.

"Here we go, Peeko, my darling! Briney sets sail for Dewford once more! Everybody present and correct?" Mr. Briney looked back from the helm and saw that everyone was there. "Then off we go!" The small ship darted forwards with quite incredible speed, dodging rocks and riding waves with magnificent skill under the control of Mr. Briney. Silver had released all of his Pokemon so they could experience a sea voyage, but although Shroomish and Corphish seemed to enjoy the sea spray, Torchic sheltered in a corner so he wouldn't get wet.

"Come here, Torchic. You can fit in my messenger bag," Silver said, and Torchic darted across the deck and leapt inside the waterproof fabric of the bag, his head poking out of the top as he chirped happily. Nincada was merely resting on Silver's lap, looking out to sea with an inscrutable expression, as if pondering the meaning of life. The journey south didn't take as long as Silver expected, and soon enough Dewford Town itself was in sight, a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. As the boat pulled into the docks, everyone got off, their legs shaking like jelly beneath them as they stepped back onto hard ground. "Th... Thanks, Mr. Briney..." Silver said, staggering around and almost stepping on Nincada as he struggled to regain his bearings.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just promise me that you'll remember me, Peeko and my boat with fondness when you get that Champion title, eh?" Mr. Briney said, having stayed on the vessel, and Peeko gave one last shriek of goodbye before the boat jetted off once again.

"I think my breakfast has come alive," Scott groaned as the boat zoomed out of sight, clutching his stomach.

"It was a pretty harsh journey, wasn't it? Torchic's OK, because he was in my bag, but the rest of the guys don't look too good," Silver pointed to Corphish and Shroomish, who were leaning on each other, and to Nincada, who had given up the ghost completely and was sleeping his sorrows away. In contrast, Hypno looked completely normal, is if it had been a nice pleasure cruise.

"I think we'll have to delay your Gym battle for a while, until we all recover. You can have it after lunch..."

"Don't even talk about food. Let's have a look at the Pokenav, and see what there is to do here for seasick people," Silver flipped open the device and zoomed in on Dewford Town on the Hoenn map. "There's the Information Exchange, whatever that might be,"

"Probably a Town Hall of some sort. I've heard surfing's pretty big here as well, so maybe we can try that out,"

"Just as long as we're in a secluded area. We don't want to make fools out of ourselves, do we?"

"That's right. We still have our pride," Scott's words rang less true than ever as Silver looked over the seasick Pokemon, although Hypno did give him a nod that suggested everything was just fine. They slowly made their way to the Information Exchange, but on the way they halted outside a shop, looking through the windows at the merchandise displayed within. Everything seemed to be covered with the words 'Marshtomp Thanks', as well as a picture of a happy, smiling Marshtomp.

"'Marshtomp Thanks'? That doesn't even make sense," Silver said, confused.

"It must be one of those crazes. Look, that kid's wearing a 'Marshtomp Thanks' T-shirt!" Scott pointed at a young boy walking past, wearing a blue shirt emblazoned with the logo and the eponymous Pokemon. Now that they looked, 'Marshtomp Thanks' seemed to be everywhere; posters, curtains, hats, and even a large billboard advertising the forthcoming 'Marshtomp Thanks Movie'.

"OK, this is weird. What possibly goes on at a 'Marshtomp Thanks' party?" Silver asked, having overheard an excited couple planning a party close by.

"It seems like everyone's life revolves around 'Marshtomp Thanks'," Scott said, bewildered, as he saw a 'Marshtomp Thanks' themed restaurant, complete with a guy in a Marshtomp suit giving out leaflets in front of it. Outside the Information Exchange, which did indeed seem like a Town Hall, a young boy accosted them.

"Isn't 'Marshtomp Thanks' the coolest? Wherever you're from, 'Marshtomp Thanks' is the height of chic, am I right?"

"Er... sure," Silver said, side-stepping the boy and walking inside the Information Exchange with interest. Predictably, most of the information being exchanged was about the madly inexplicable 'Marshtomp Thanks'.

"Hey, you're not from Dewford Town, are you?" a small girl asked, and Silver smiled and shook his head, hoping for a more normal conversation. "Is 'Marshtomp Thanks' as popular overseas?" They both slapped their foreheads simultaneously and left the girl looking puzzled, and they made their way over to a TV which they hoped would be showing something saner.

"Down in front! The 'Marshtomp Thanks' Show is on!" a man bellowed angrily as they cut off his field of vision, and they scurried away, having no wish to tangle with anyone so riled-up with 'Marshtomp Thanks' fever. They left as soon as they heard someone proclaiming to have found a link between 'Diet' and 'Marshtomp Thanks', dodging past a girl trying to teach her Pokemon about the craze, and finally slipping past a boy who was talking about using the 'Marshtomp Thanks' attack move in a battle.

"I think the time has come to go surfing. On the beach, at least, there surely can't be any of that 'Marshtomp Thanks' weirdness," Silver said, although he didn't sound convinced. They made their way down to the beach and hired a couple of non-'Marshtomp Thanks' surfboards, skirting a group of people huddled around a boy with Mudkip's famous evolution and hiding behind some seashore rocks to try their luck at this most awesome of sports. Silver got into his swimming trunks and balanced shakily on his board as it was sucked in by the ebbing tide, with Corphish swimming around him to save him from the inevitable fall. Scott took one look at him and substituted Hypno for himself, and somehow the Psychic Pokemon seemed to be a natural, looking calm and even bored as the surfboard bucked under him. All of a sudden, a wave that bit too big came crashing in; it was barely taller than Corphish, but it succeeded in knocking off Silver anyway. He staggered, dripping wet, out of the shallows and stuck his surfboard in the sand, with the same effect of waving a white flag of surrender. After drying off in the sun and getting redressed, they watched real professionals at work. A boy with blue hair seemed to be doing the best, with a Machop doing equally well on the board beside him; their sync reminded Silver of Crystal and Tyrogue. Corphish enjoyed playing in the water, and Torchic, Shroomish and Nincada sunbathed happily beside Silver as Hypno continued to dazzle them with his surfing skills. Eventually, Hypno had his own little following, and the blue-haired boy and his Machop even disembarked and walked up the beach towards Silver and Scott.

"Hey, dudes! Are you the owner of that super-cool Hypno?" he asked, sweeping his wet hair from his eyes.

"Yep," Silver and Scott said at the same time.

"Well... he sort of lent Hypno to me," Scott said uncertainly, pointing at Silver.

"Well, whoever stakes their claim for him is one lucky dude. Look at him, he's rockin' out!" Silver didn't know what 'rockin' out' meant, but he assumed it was good, as Hypno now had quite a large gang of admirers watching his antics.

"Thanks. I watched you and your Machop surfing, and you were both really good," Silver replied, and the boy beamed.

"Thanks, I believe that surfing can help with a Pokemon's timing, as well as keeping them fit. My name's Brawly, dude; who are you?" Silver shook the boy's hand as Scott looked shocked at the revelation.

"Pleased to meet you, Brawly. I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town,"

"You're a long way from home. What brings you to Dewford?"

"I'm going to challenge the Gym Leader; I've already got a Stonebadge from Roxanne," Silver tapped his badge self-consciously. Scott coughed and Silver turned to look at him as Brawly smiled.

"Er... Brawly's the Dewford Town Gym Leader. Trains Fighting types," Scott said quietly, and Silver looked at the boy in a completely new light; as a rival and foe rather than a casual acquaintance.

"That I am. So, when are you planning to come to the Gym?" Brawly asked.

"I don't know. Today we're going to train up my buddy Nincada, so perhaps tomorrow?" Silver proposed.

"I'll look forward to it, dude. But I hope you're not planning to use your Hypno,"

"Don't worry, I've got a new team for Hoenn. Torchic, Shroomish and Corphish," Silver indicated his Pokemon lazily.

"Cool. Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Silver from Littleroot," Brawly nodded at him and Scott and left, just as Hypno ambled up the beach towards them, the surfboard under his arm as he looked supremely unconcerned by the disappointment felt by his fans.

"Looks like you're a natural surfer, Hypno. You've got the relaxed attitude down to a tee," Silver said, and Hypno nodded at him in appreciation.

"Maybe we should train up Nincada using that surfboard. Brawly said that it improves fitness and timing, after all," Scott put forward. "How about it, Nincada?" Nincada squeaked once in a worried tone, looking unsure of himself, so Silver got undressed again and walked into the shallows with the Bug Pokemon, placing the creature on the surfboard as he lay down on it like a penguin sliding on its belly. Then he paddled along with his hands and feet, feeling Nincada climb onto his back and start adapting to the rocking board beneath him. As a small creature, Silver realised, Nincada would have a lower centre of gravity, and be much less prone to falling off than he was.

"Just relax and try and go with the flow," Silver advised. "We don't have to do anything scary; in fact, we won't, because I'm even less accomplished as a surfer than you. All we need to do is focus and try and be one with the waves," Silver was very thankful that Emerald wasn't here to hear his ramblings, but they seemed to be getting through to Nincada, who was trembling less and reacting to the bucking of the surfboard better. Suddenly, it all crashed into Silver; here he was, lying on his belly on a surfboard with a Nincada on his back, in a town obsessed with Marshtomp, getting ready to face a Gym Leader who called everyone 'dude'. If things got any weirder, he'd be dreaming.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 12**

They spent the rest of the day in training and relaxing, focusing mainly on Nincada but not neglecting Silver's other Pokemon either, as they prepared for his Dewford Town Gym battle. They didn't know whether the surfing had actually helped Nincada, but the Bug Pokemon seemed to enjoy it at least, and did well for himself in a practice battle against Shroomish later on. The next day, Silver was feeling ready for his Gym battle; he had gotten a good night's sleep, and had gone to bed that night feeling proud of his Pokemon's progress. A delicious locally-made breakfast only made things better. But there was one niggling doubt in his mind as he, Scott and the Pokemon entered Dewford Town's Gym; Brawly, the Gym Leader, was a Fighting type Trainer, and he had no Pokemon super-effective against them in his team. That meant a pitched battle was in order, in which neither side had the advantage; a test of skill rather than just going through the super-effective type advantage motions. Corphish was as ready as ever, and Silver had every confidence in him to succeed; Shroomish, as usual was determined, and Silver knew his Effect Spore would prove very useful against the physical attacks Fighting Pokemon were sure to use; and finally Torchic was looking great, having fully mastered Ember to hopefully deadly effect, as well as showing himself to be impressively quick on his feet. They got a shock when they entered the Gym and found that it was pitch black inside.

"Ow! What's going on here?" Silver asked as Scott stepped on his foot.

"I don't know. Maybe Brawly just forgot to lock up last night," Scott suggested, indicating the door.

"Well, let's see if we can find the lights. Torchic, come out! D'you think you could keep up a little Ember for a while, just to use as light?" Torchic nodded and spewed out a small but constant blast of fire that cast orange light around the proceedings. Keeping close to the walls, they fumbled around until they finally found the light switch, and the bright electrical lights almost burned their eyes as they hummed into life. "Aargh! It's OK now, Torchic, you can stop. Well done," Silver said, opening his eyes slowly and blinking away the multicoloured spots.

"Hey, Silver! It's me, Brawly. Ready for our match?" Brawly's voice came from where Silver assumed to be the battle-field, and he replied,

"As soon as I can see again. How come the lights were out?"

"To test your bravery and common sense, dude," Brawly replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"So if someone's afraid of the dark or doesn't think to turn the lights on, you don't battle them?" Silver asked quizzically.

"A Trainer's got to be sharp and courageous to be great. Anyway, shall we get going?" Silver blinked one last time and cleared away the last of the floating specks in his vision, spotting Brawly, complete with turquoise shorts that matched his hair and an orange shirt, waiting in a relaxed pose at the other end of the battle-field. "Three each OK?" he asked.

"That's fine by me," Silver said. He only had three Pokemon, so there was little debate as to who he would use.

"Let's get this party started! Machop, I choose you!" The Superpower Pokemon made his appearance, just as Silver had expected.

"Let's start off with Shroomish this time!" Silver countered, throwing Shroomish's Pokeball into the battle-field. "Use Tackle!" Shroomish ran forwards and launched into a head-butt.

"Machop, Bulk Up!" Machop shifted his position and weathered Shroomish's attack easily, not even being pushed back. "Good one! Now, Karate Chop!" Silver knew that Karate Chop could be a devastating move, but he had faith in Shroomish's ability to survive it. All he needed was the unexpected to happen, and Brawly would soon be the one on the receiving end.

"Shroomish, stand fast! Get ready for an Absorb!" Shroomish stood his ground and Machop lanced his palm down in a perfectly-placed blow, striking Shroomish across the face.

"Shroomish!" Shroomish cried, and it hurt Silver to hear him in pain, but his plan had paid off; purple spores had burst from Shroomish's head and smothered Machop completely on launching the attack. Machop staggered backwards, clutching his head, as Shroomish got to his feet.

"Shroomish, are you OK?" Silver asked, seeing Machop in no position to attack again, and Shroomish gave a groan of assent. "If my plan works, you'll be feeling fit and healthy again in no time,"

"Machop, what's up?" Brawly asked, and Machop moaned something unintelligible, straightening up but looking a bit shaky and ill. "Poison! Didn't expect that. Stay strong, Machop. We'll beat this thing yet,"

"Shroomish, Absorb! Suck out his health, then he'll feel the Poison even more, and you'll feel better than ever!" Silver said quickly, and Shroomish hopped forwards, blasting Machop with green energy bolts and compounding the effect of the Poison by leeching away his dwindling health.

"Machop, use Leer!" Brawly countered, and Machop focused his bloodshot eyes on Shroomish, trying to cut short his attack and threaten him into helplessness. Shroomish's Absorb flickered and died as the mushroom Pokemon trembled under the Fighting Pokemon's gaze, involuntarily taking a step back.

"Ignore him, Shroomish! Tackle!" Shroomish shook off the Leer at the sound of his master's voice, and rammed Machop backwards off his feet with another charge.

"Keep going, Machop! Seismic Toss!" Machop jumped back up and grabbed for Shroomish, but was halted mid-lunge by a huge sneeze as the spores irritated his nose.

"Shroomish, Absorb! But get ready to dodge away from a counter-attack," Shroomish sucked away more of Machop's health, and slipped away from another attempted Seismic Toss as the Fighting Pokemon's head span. For all the world it seemed like he had been struck suddenly with a vicious bout of flu, as he sneezed again and clutched his burning forehead painfully. "Tackle him!" Shroomish Tackled Machop from behind, and knocked him forwards, so he was splayed on his belly on the arena floor. He tried to get up, his limbs twitching and a determined expression etched on his face, but the Poison and Shroomish's attacks combined to weaken him beyond the point of endurance.

"Machop, return. Shroomish's special abilities were used really well there, Silver. Can't fault your technique. Meditite, go!" A cross-legged Pokemon sat motionless on the battle-field, looking at Shroomish with deep, dark eyes. According to the Pokedex, Meditite was a dual Psychic and Fighting type, and was a very powerful and disciplined fighter. He had never encountered that particular type combination before, and it was unnerving to be fixed by the creature's unblinking gaze.

"Keep it up, Shroomish. This guy's going to be a bit tougher than Machop, I think," Silver said, disturbed.

"See what I mean about turning out the lights? The unknown's always scary. You just demonstrated that by being on your guard against Meditite, who you've never seen before. Trainers need to adapt well to the unknown or they don't get very far," Brawly said, clicking his fingers, and Silver had to admit that he had a point.

"Shroomish, start off with a Tackle!" Silver said, utilising a normal attack to test the limits of Meditite's abilities. Shroomish ran forwards and lowered his head to ram his foe as Brawly called out his own order.

"Meditite, Reflect!" Meditite moved his hands outwards, and they left behind what seemed to be a shimmering panel of glass, which Shroomish bounced off to no effect. "Now, get ready for your awesome Focus Punch!"

"That doesn't sound good. Shroomish, blast him with Stun Spore!" Shroomish shivered on the spot and released a shimmering, heavy cloud of glittering orange spores that flooded towards Meditite as the creature's fist began to glow ominously. The Fighting Pokemon was engulfed by the attack, but sat unblinking and unmoving nonetheless, his fist glowing ever brighter as the spores attacked his body and tried to seize up his muscles.

"Hit him like a tidal wave, Meditite!" Brawly ordered, and Meditite launched himself forwards with incredible speed, swinging his glowing fist in for an earth-shatteringly powerful uppercut. The mushroom Pokemon had fainted even before he hit the floor, and Silver recalled him.

"That was one powerful attack. I'm not surprised it floored you, Shroomish. But you were fantastic anyway; you took out Machop and Paralysed Meditite, and you've made me wiser to Meditite's attack style. Corphish, finish him off for me!" Coprhish clashed his claws as he prepared to battle Meditite.

"Your Corphish looks pretty violent. Meditite will chill him out for you, right Meditite?" Brawly said, and Meditite nodded once, his eyes now fixed on the Water Pokemon.

"Corphish, Bubble!" Silver ordered, and Corphish blasted a horde of exploding bubbles at Meditite's unmoving form.

"Meditite, get your Light Screen up!" Brawly commanded, and the Reflect was almost unnoticeably replaced with a barrier that protected the Fighting Pokemon from Corphish's attack. "Get ready for another Focus Punch," Meditite's fist started glowing again, and Silver snapped at his chance. Focus Punch, despite being an amazingly powerful move, evidently took time to power up, and it needed great concentration to pull off. If anyone could disrupt concentration, it was Corphish.

"Use Vicegrip!" Corphish scuttled forwards and smashed the Light Screen to pieces with one blow of his claw, before continuing on to grip Meditite's scrawny neck in his claws. Meditite's fist stopped glowing immediately and his eyes bulged comically.

"Meditite, Reflect! Then Focus Punch again!" Brawly said, and Silver could see a pattern. It looked like the only offensive move Meditite could use was Focus Punch, the weaknesses of which he had already pinpointed. As Corphish was shoved away by a new shimmering panel of light, he cried,

"Corphish, Bubble!" The bubble swarm crashed straight through the Reflect and slammed into Meditite's face, for once making him sprawl and lose his concentrated yoga position. As he got to his feet hazily, Corphish was snapping his pincers in his face, challenging him to fight back.

"Meditite, Bulk Up!" Meditite took up a defensive stance, waiting for Corphish's attack patiently, but Silver wasn't willing to oblige him.

"Corphish, Leer!" Corphish used his famous glare on Meditite, supplemented by more aggressive pincer-clashing, and the Fighting Pokemon seemed wrong-footed, as if he had suddenly forgotten his defensive pose. "Now, Bubble!" Meditite was blasted backwards again by the powerful bubbles, and this time he didn't get up.

"Meditite, return. Well, Silver, I've got to admit that was awesome. You used Meditite's weaknesses brilliantly. But here's my best buddy, the ever-cool and ever-strong Makuhita!" A rotund beige Pokemon took the field, slapping its belly absurdly. Silver waved his Pokedex at it and was told that it was Makuhita, the Guts Pokemon, and that it loved bulking up its body by any means necessary.

"If anyone's got guts, it's Corphish. Start off with a Vicegrip!" Corphish charged forwards and grabbed Makuhita's belly in his claws, although the Fighting Pokemon didn't even react.

"Makuhita, Vital Throw!" Makuhita leapt up in the air, dragging Corphish along with him, before somersaulting down and flattening the Water Pokemon beneath him.

"Corphish, are you OK?" Corphish waved a pincer half-heartedly as he emerged from beneath his opponent. "Let's see how he likes a Bubble, then!" Makuhita stumbled and cried out as he was hit full-on by the stream of bubbles, but Brawly got him back on track.

"Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" Makuhita shoved his palms forwards, blocking off the Bubble and moving steadily towards Corphish, locking his arms so they didn't buckle under the pressure.

"Corphish, Vicegrip! Go for the head!" Silver cried as Makuhita got closer and closer. Corphish leapt up, dodging the flailing arms of his foe and nipping the top of his head tightly in his claws. Makuhita ran around in a circle helplessly, unable to dislodge the tenacious customer that gripped him so tightly and painfully with his unrelenting pincers.

"Makuhita, Reversal!" Brawly ordered, and suddenly Makuhita stopped in his tracks, a split-second before toppling backwards and crushing Corphish beneath him again. "Now, Arm Thrust!"

"Harden!" Silver commanded, just in time; Makuhita's palms hammered Corphish's face, but the Water Pokemon was shielded from most of the harm with a sheen of protection, and didn't even flinch.

"Vital Throw!" Brawly parried, and Makuhita grabbed Corphish by one of his pincers, lifted him above his head and slammed him onto the floor. Corphish got up, but it was on sheer bloody-mindedness alone, as it was clear he had been badly damaged. "Finish up with an Arm Thrust!" Before Silver could give a counter-order, Makuhita launched into a flurry of blows to Corphish's face. The Water Pokemon still wore a stunned expression as he keeled over to the side, defeated.

"Corphish, return. You were really good; better even than I thought you were. You softened up Makuhita nicely for Torchic!" Silver released the chick Pokemon at that, and Torchic looked terribly weak and slender when faced with the hulking Makuhita. However, remembering how his Poliwag had once beaten Jasmine's Steelix, he knew that size was no measure of power. "Torchic, Focus Energy!" Torchic prepared for battle, his eyes tightly shut as if he wanted to make Makuhita disappear.

"Torchic's cute, but this is an official battle, and I can't hold back. Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" Makuhita lumbered forwards and pounded Torchic off his feet with a barrage of thrusting attacks, but luckily Torchic jumped straight back up, a gleam in his eye as he focused completely and utterly on the battle.

"Nice bouncing back there, Torchic. Hit him with a Scratch!" Torchic jumped upwards quickly on his deceptively powerful legs, raking Makuhita across the face with his claws with such speed and power that the Fighting Pokemon was caught unawares.

"Whoa! A plucky little Torchic you've got there. Makuhita, Vital Throw!"

"Torchic, Scratch! Then Ember!" Silver said, hoping to block Makuita's attack and launch one of his own. Torchic slashed Makuhita's hand as the Fighting Pokemon bent down to grab him, then, in a stunningly daring move that caught even Silver by surprise, he actually scampered up Makuhita's arm and bathed his face in a spurt of fire. Brawly smiled and allowed Torchic to leap away to safety before giving another order.

"I like Torchic's style. He's not afraid to brave the wave. That's not going to stop us, though! Makuhita, get ready for another Arm Thrust!" Silver saw that Makuhita's strength was flagging despite his master's unflappable confidence; his movements were slower and more laboured. He guessed that battling Corphish and Torchic one after the other did that to you.

"Torchic, jump up! Land on his head and Scratch!" he ordered, and Torchic pulled it off perfectly; dodging Makuhita's arms, which pounded thin air instead of feathers, he leapt up, twisted in mid-air and landed lightly on his foe's skull, tearing at him with his tiny claws. Silver knew that Brawly appreciated watching Torchic's daring and skill, and would be less inclined to attack in case he interrupted a particularly heroic move, so Silver concentrated on giving the Fire Pokemon the most intricate commands possible. Brawly laughed as Makuhita flinched beneath Torchic's attacks, shaking his head with wonderment, then he came back to himself as he realised it was his Pokemon getting punished.

"Makuhita, Reversal!" Makuhita fell backwards, dislodging Torchic, and then rolled forwards to body slam the chick Pokemon beneath his considerable bulk. "That's the way! Let's see Torchic get up after that," Much to Silver's surprise, Torchic did get up; not only that, he battered Makuhita away from him with a hail of Scratch attacks. Then, ruffling his feathers, he looked his foe straight in the eye and made a silent challenge.

"That's the way, Torchic! Hit him with an Ember!"

"Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" Torchic jumped up above Makuhita's arms, forcing him to batter the floor relentlessly as the chick Pokemon blasted him in the face with a precision Ember. "Makuhita, keep it up!" Brawly cried, but Makuhita was beyond saving; that last Ember had finished off whatever health he still had left after battling Corphish, and he collapsed in a defeated heap. "Makuhita, return," Brawly said eventually, seeing that his final Pokemon was not getting back up, and he ambled over to Silver, fishing around in his pocket. Eventually he withdrew a badge shaped vaguely liked a boxing glove. "Here you are, dude. That Torchic of yours was one feisty customer. Good luck on the rest of your journey; I can tell that your wave's going to get bigger and bigger as you go along," he said, clapping Silver on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Brawly," Silver said, pinning the badge next to his Stonebadge. "Even I didn't expect Torchic to be that great. You were fantastic, Torchic," Torchic squeaked in stolid determination.

"Great job, you two. Torchic had me on the edge of my seat," Scott appeared beside him.

"Thanks. Well, goodbye, Brawly. Your surfing skills helped out Nincada no end," Silver said, leaving Brawly looking puzzled as they exited the Gym. "We'd better get to the Pokemon Centre; Corphish and Shroomish both got hurt in the battle. Torchic, let's go. Torchic?" Silver looked down at the chick Pokemon quizzically, as he seemed rooted in place, his eyes faintly unfocused. "Are you feeling OK? Makuhita did hit you pretty hard," Silver knelt down, looking at Torchic closely for signs of injury, but fell backwards as the chick Pokemon started glowing brightly. When the bright light died down, Torchic was a lot taller and broader, with much longer arms; a completely new Pokemon. "Wow! Torchic, you evolved! Great work! Let's see what you've exactly evolved into..." He pointed the Pokedex at the new creature.

"_Combusken. The Young Fowl Pokemon. It lashes out with ten kicks per second. Its strong fighting instinct compels it to keep up its offensive until the opponent gives up._"

"Ten kicks per second?! I'd better not annoy you, then. Look, it says here that you're a dual type now; Fire and Fighting. Crystal will be proud," Silver said.

"Combusken," Combusken nodded gravely; evidently, his serious exterior hadn't changed at all. Silver could only hope that it was the same case with his indomitable courage and fighting spirit.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 13**

It seemed to Silver that Nincada would never evolve. As he sat on the wooden deck of a cruise ship speeding slowly towards Slateport City, he looked at the sleeping Bug Pokemon and wondered just how much progress they had made. They had spent the rest of yesterday training, after Silver's battle with Brawly, and still he hadn't changed form into a more powerful creature. With this much concentrated effort, Silver had at least expected Nincada to have mastered a new attack; although he was undoubtedly more of a force in battle, Leech Life and Scratch weren't the most damaging moves in any arsenal. Especially when compared to Combusken's newly-learned Double Kick, which knocked the Bug out in one hit, or Corphish's nasty Vicegrip, or even Shroomish's potent Stun Spore. But he consoled himself with the fact that surely Nincada was on the cusp of evolution, and any minute now he would transform. He shouldn't really be complaining, as he liked Nincada's docility a lot, but it got frustrating after a while when it seemed all their efforts had been wasted. Scott had taken a different boat back to Petalburg City, and promised to meet Silver where the next Gym was; Mauville City. Until then, he was going to do some of his inscrutable work, so Silver was left alone but for the Pokemon. He didn't really know why he was going to Slateport City; it didn't have a Gym in it, after all. But the trusty Pokenav in his pocket assured him that it was the fastest way to get to Mauville, and also that it had a few interesting attractions where he hoped to get souvenirs for Crystal. These included Slateport Market, the Hoenn Pokemon Fan Club, the Oceanic Museum and the Boatyard.

"Time for another day of sight-seeing, everyone. I think we deserve it after all of our hard work, don't you?" he said to his Pokemon, who were playing close by.

"Shroomish!" Shroomish, as usual, hopped up and down in excitement, as Corphish merely rolled his eyes; why look around museums when there are battles to be won? Combusken supplied him with a solid nod and a gaze that suggested they were trying to break into an impregnable fortress rather than visit some tourist attractions, and Nincada twitched in his sleep, as if to show his support from beyond consciousness.

"You don't have to, Corphish. You can swim around in the sea, if you want. Just don't pick any fights,"

"Corphish," Corphish said in a disgruntled voice; clearly, he said something like 'What's the point in swimming if I can't fight anyone? I may as well come with you after all,'. The boat docked into Slateport a few minutes later, and they faced a short trek up the soft, sandy beach (broken only by stopping for some soda in a refreshments shack) before stepping onto the hard concrete of the city streets.

"Look, there's the market! We may as well go there straight away. As you were all so good in my battle yesterday, and you're doing well with your training Nincada, you can all pick out a present if you like. Just promise to meet me in this spot about half an hour from now, OK?" Silver said, and the Pokemon went their separate ways, each clutching some money one way or another. He hummed to himself as he strolled past some stalls, hands in his pockets; he was looking for something rustic, something original, something that screamed 'Slateport City'. Ignoring a scary doll that fulfilled the last requirement all-too-literally, he stumbled across a baseball cap with 'Slateport City' splashed across the front; too small for Crystal, but just the right size for Tyrogue. After purchasing it, he turned to look at the next stand and slapped his forehead straight away. It was bedecked with 'Marshtomp Thanks' memorabilia. Now he was torn; Crystal would surely want something that represented the eccentric, craze-fuelled life of Dewford Town. But was he willing to fund the 'Marshtomp Thanks' juggernaut, and possibly get it a foothold in the rest of Hoenn? Today Slateport City, tomorrow the world. He eventually decided to buy the smallest, cheapest item; it was the thought that counted, right? With great trepidation, he handed over some money, and put the keyring hastily in his pocket; he didn't want anyone to think he was into the craze, after all. Suddenly, his Pokenav let off its horrible, shrill alarm, and he knew that he had to meet his Pokemon back at the market's entrance. For some reason, as he walked back, he was filled with a great sense of dread, wondering what Corphish had done with the ill-advisedly given money.

"Shroomish!" came a muffled cry from behind him, and he turned to see that Shroomish was making his way through the crowd, a pot-plant perched on the top of his head and some change in his mouth. Silver waited for him to catch up before continuing.

"Hi, Shroomish! That's a nice flower. Have you seen Corphish, Nincada or Combusken yet?" Shroomish shook his head, almost dislodging the plant, and spat the excess money into Silver's hand. They found Combusken waiting for them at the market's entrance, but he didn't seem to have bought anything, although there was no money in his hands. "Hey, Combusken! What did you get with your money?" Combusken raised an arm and pointed to a spot behind Silver, and the Trainer turned around to see his worst nightmare approaching. Corphish was scuttling along, wearing a 'Marshtomp Thanks' T-shirt, holding a 'Marshtomp Thanks' mug in one claw and a toy Marshtomp in the other. Around what constituted as his neck was what appeared to be a 'Marshtomp Thanks' commemorative medallion.

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish said delightedly, waving his pincers as he drew level with Silver, whose head was firmly in his hands.

"Combusken, I'm surprised at you. How could you fund such base treachery?" Silver groaned, but Combusken merely blinked up at him blankly. "And you! Practically my own flesh and blood, buying merchandise from my deadliest corporate enemy! My _only_ corporate enemy, in fact! How could you, Corphish?"

"Corphish!" Corphish waved his claws happily, beaming.

"Is Shroomish the only one who bought something proper?" Silver said impatiently, then he heard a crash behind him. He turned to see that Shroomish's pot-plant was lying on the floor, its pot smashed completely, and that Shroomish was eagerly eating the wet compost within. "Oh, for the love of... So you only got that as fast food, did you?" Shroomish nodded happily, his mouth peppered with pieces of dirt. "Hang on a minute... where's Nincada? Has anyone seen him whilst walking around the market?" Shroomish and Corphish shook their heads, still absorbed in their purchases, but Combusken tensed, then jumped up several feet in the air, looking over the crowds to try and spot the Bug Pokemon. "That was some jump," Silver said, impressed, as Combusken landed. "Did you spot him?" Combusken pointed, and sure enough, crawling along, was Nincada, dodging several feet that threatened to crush him as he scurried towards them. Silver ran to collect him, and scooped him up to safety before retreating back to where his Pokemon waited. "Whew... are you OK?" Nincada nodded, his antennae fluttering. "So, what did you buy?" Nincada flipped over to reveal some sort of device that was strung between his six legs, a complex web of tight, elastic straps connected to his limbs via metal clasps. "Yikes! What's that? How did it get all tangled up?" Nincada spat out a piece of paper, which Silver unfolded to reveal the instructions of something called a Macho Brace. Turning the instructions upside-down to see if they made any more sense, Silver said, "Did the guy who sold it to you tie you up in it?" Nincada nodded, and Silver screwed up the instructions, tossing them away. "Hopefully he's done it right, then. Can you even move your legs? I guess it's designed to really build up your muscles, although speed's going to be an issue..." They walked down the street, Combusken the only one of them appearing normal alongside the dirt-stained Shroomish, the hobbling Nincada and the corporate advertisement that was Corphish. "Where d'you want to go first, the Shipyard, the Pokemon Fan Club, or the Oceanic Museum?" Silver said as they reached a crossroads.

"Shroomish!" Shromish cried, starting down the road to the Shipyard.

"Corphish!" Corphish said happily, scuttling in the direction of the Pokemon Fan Club.

"Combusken," Combusken said gravely, moving towards the Oceanic Museum.

"I don't know why I bother," Silver said through gritted teeth. "OK, Nincada, you've got the deciding vote. Where are we off to?" Nincada, however, had tripped and tangled himself up in his Macho Brace temporarily. "Fine, we're going to the Oceanic Museum. You're looking pretty solemn, Combusken, so I don't want to disappoint you," Once again, Combusken merely looked at him, so he gave up and followed the Fire Pokemon down the road to the Oceanic Museum. However, when they got within viewing distance, Silver slapped himself on the forehead. "Look at that queue! It must be some sort of charity event, it looks from here like they're all dressed the same. My last Pokemon Fan Club experience wasn't stellar, so we're going to head towards the Shipyard until that queue dies down,"

"Corphish," Corphish drooped sadly, deprived a chance as of yet of either showing off or beating up someone else's Pokemon. The Shipyard itself was a huge building on the edge of town, and as they peeked inside the huge open doors they saw a boat nearing completion lying in the dry-dock.

"S.S. Tidal, I think that says. Pretty cool name for a ship," Silver squinted through the darkness at the ship's name.

"Hello? Is that you, Captain?" someone said, and a bald man wearing a stained white suit stumbled into view. "Oh, no, just some tourists. Have you, by any chance, seen Captain Stern?" he asked them grimly, as if he was scraping the bottom of the ideas barrel by stooping so low as to ask visitors.

"Sorry, we don't know a Captain Stern. We're just stopping off here for a day on my Pokemon quest," Silver explained.

"Yes, I can tell by your badges. What's that your Corphish is wearing?"

"Nothing," Silver said, moving to screen Corphish from view. "Is there any way we could help you out?"

"Well, you could check out the Oceanic Museum for me. I don't have time to check all of its rooms, with all the work we've got here,"

"There was a really big queue outside the last time we looked. Some sort of rally, I think,"

"Don't worry about that. The staff there's really good, they can cater for a lot of customers quickly," the man said hopefully.

"OK, we'll check. But don't expect us for a few hours if it's still jam-packed," Silver warned him, and they made their way back to the Oceanic Museum; to his surprise, the man was right, and there wasn't a queue in sight. He knew that having fire or Corphish near anything precious was a recipe for disaster, so he withdrew Combusken and the Water Pokemon, and Shroomish too just so the others didn't feel left out. After paying for himself and Nincada, he entered the Oceanic Museum, hoping to find the visit interesting and mentally stimulating. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like he'd have much chance to appreciate the exhibits. The room was filled with people he recognised as Team Aqua Grunts, so he immediately knew something bad was going to happen.

"Hey, it's you! So we meet again, punk," a Team Aqua Grunt cried, leaping into Silver's path. It was the man who had stolen the Wingull and the Devon documents. Silver prepared for battle, but that didn't seem to be on the Grunt's mind. "The ocean is sacred to us, punk. We won't desecrate a museum dedicated to it by battling; we might damage a priceless exhibit! We're just here to help out good old Captain Stern," 'Aha! So Stern is here, then,' Silver thought, and moved as if to leave. When the Grunt's guard was down, he pushed past him, dodging through the rest of the guards and running up the stairs. On the first floor were two Aqua Grunts, both with their Pokemon out, and a proud-looking scientist who didn't look in the least bit scared of them. "Don't worry, Captain! Help's on the way!" Silver cried, and skidded to a halt between the Grunts and Stern, protecting the scientist from the Aqua Pokemon, a Poochyena and a Shroomish that was rather more vicious-looking than his. "Look after Nincada," he said hurriedly, shoving the Bug into Stern's hands before crying, "Combusken, I choose you!" Combusken stood in front of Silver, ready and waiting for battle; as a dual Fighting and Fire type, he was effective against both of his opponents.

"Move it, kid. You've seen how many of us there are waiting downstairs; we wouldn't want things to get nasty, would we?" one of the Grunts threatened.

"The only way things are going to get nasty is if you don't let Captain Stern go," Silver replied.

"Let's deal with this smart-mouth quickly. Poochyena..."

"Stop!" a gruff voice shouted, just as the battle was about to begin. A burly, bearded man dressed in black, but wearing the Aqua bandana, pushed past them all, standing in front of Silver and surveying him with a grin. "We're not going to sully this place of knowledge with battling. Recall your Pokemon, or answer to me," he threatened his Grunts, who reluctantly withdrew their warriors. "My name's Archie, kid. You'll know me as the leader of Team Aqua. You've showed a lot of spunk bursting in like this, and one of my soldiers says you've beaten him before. I need people like you in my organisation. How about it?"

"No way! Team Aqua's evil!" Silver replied, scandalised at the offer.

"You're not... Magma? No, you're not wearing their clothes. You don't have the look of a Magma soldier. But we're not evil, kid; we're trying to expand the oceans! Make life good for everyone! Water is the seed of life, after all," Archie said, looking momentarily uneasy.

"Sorry. I consider it my duty to be a spanner in the works for any evil organisation," Silver said shortly. Archie sighed.

"Fine, I can see you're not going to listen to my side of the story. I won't battle you today, but get in my way again, and you'll become a target. Let's move out, Team Aqua. Let the boy have his temporary victory," he said with disgust, and he stormed out, the Grunts following.

"Are you OK?" Silver asked Stern shakily.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Thanks for the help. Let's go back to the shipyard, where we can have a sit down and talk," Silver followed Stern back through the now-deserted museum to the Shipyard, where the white-suited man was waiting.

"Captain! Finally, I've been..."

"Not now," Stern said sharply. "I've just been under attack from Team Aqua, and this boy saved me. Bring us drinks, would you?" The white-suited man walked off, mumbling in a disgruntled way, and Stern pulled up a couple of hard wooden chairs for them to sit down on. "So, who exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. I've clashed with Team Aqua before," Silver replied, hoping that his words conjured up images of brave last stands and six-on-one battles from which he emerged triumphant.

"Yes, I heard Archie say. Did you know why they were after me?"

"Er... no," Silver said, embarrassed. "But I knew that they weren't a force for good, and like I told Archie, I try to get in their way as much as I can,"

"Hmm," Stern said, sipping at the drink his assistant brought over. "Well, I'll report it to the police, and hopefully they'll be able to figure it out. We're working on an important project at the minute, involving submersibles, so if Team Aqua get their hands on it, it will be disastrous. Well, thank you again for helping me out. Someday I'll hopefully be able to repay you with a free voyage when the S.S. Tidal gets up and running," From his tone of voice, Silver knew the conversation was over, so he thanked Stern for the drink and left. Why was Team Aqua after Stern? If they were focused on the oceans, it had to be something to do with this ship-building project. But why did they need a boat? Surely evil geniuses had an ample supply of water craft? But not, he reminded himself, submarines. Submarines were rare, expensive and very difficult to operate. If Stern was building a more efficient and user-friendly one, it would definitely be desirable for Team Aqua to own. Hopefully the police or Pokemon G-Men could put a stop to their nefarious deeds. He didn't want to do it all by himself, after all.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 14**

After a disastrous visit to the Pokemon Fan Club, in which Corphish not only knocked out a Clefairy but provided more free advertising for 'Marshtomp Thanks' to Pokemaniacs who loved that kind of thing, Silver left Slateport as quickly as possible, even if it meant he would have to sleep on the cold hard ground that night. Mauville City was to the north, and was apparently Hoenn's answer to Goldenrod; it had a bike shop called Rydel's Cycles, a Game Corner, and the third Gym. As he ran from Slateport as fast as he could, he spotted a poster that said something about a house that was on the route to Mauville, and this was where he hoped to spend the night. He didn't get a good enough look at the poster to see exactly where it was, or why it was being advertised, but he assumed it would be on the main trail and that it publicised free lodgings for Trainers.

"Shroomish!" the Grass Pokemon suddenly said, and Silver was stirred from his bad memories, looking up to see an odd sight. Two Pikachu-like Pokemon were standing in front of their Trainers, waving their arms like cheerleaders. One had red ears and the other had blue ears, and they were moving in perfect synchronisation. On closer inspection (or, more accurately, investigation by the Pokedex), they were revealed to be Plusle and Minun, the Cheering Pokemon. Their Trainer was making them cheer along to what Silver recognised as the theme song of the Electabuzz baseball team. He wasn't really up on baseball, but he had heard of the Electabuzz team because of its notoriety as the worst team ever. Why someone would be professing themselves as a die-hard fan was beyond Silver, but then again sports had always been beyond his comprehension. After a while, which was broken up by a picnic or two at Nincada's insistence, Silver spotted the house that he recognised from the poster; however, it seemed bigger than expected, and far... brighter. As he drew closer, he realised that the decoration and colour schemes were best described as eccentric, and the sign reinforced this image by reading: 'Trick House: Three Steps Across, Two Steps Up!' Silver shook his head wonderingly and moved towards the door, but stepped on some sort of hidden sprinkler that doused him in water.

"What the...? Why would anyone put that there?" Silver spluttered, and took another step forwards. Another blast of water sprayed up into his face as his foot found another hidden sensor. The Pokemon were watching from beside the sign; Shroomish looked worried, Corphish looked expectant and Combusken was as straight-faced as usual. Nincada was asleep. Suddenly Silver realised; the sign. He had to follow the instructions explicitly to avoid getting even more soaked. Making his way back to the start, he stepped three big steps to the right, then two steps forwards, finding himself at the door without being further attacked. "Sorry, Corphish. No more entertainment. Come on, three steps right, two steps up..." His Pokemon followed the instructions and crammed themselves onto the front step as he pressed the doorbell awkwardly. Once again his face was sprayed with water as the doorbell triggered some sort of joke mechanism, along with making a high-pitched noise to alert whoever was inside that they had visitors. Silver was now feeling quite eager to meet the resident, if only to give him or her a big piece of his mind about dry-cleaning bills and nasty tricks. However, the door swung open seemingly of its own accord, and Silver found himself in what seemed to be a normal-looking apartment, with a dining table, dresser, pot-plant and several large cushions. "Hello? Is anyone home?" Silver called, and suddenly he saw a flash of light under the table. Walking in slowly, ever-alert for a sign of the occupant, he bent down and looked under the large wooden table, knowing he wouldn't be able to rest until he knew what had caused that flash. He soon wished that he'd never even stepped inside the Trick House.

"Surprise!" cried a man with brightly-coloured clothes and ornate, winged glasses (evidently what had caught the light a few moments earlier), and Silver fell back with shock as the rotund man heaved himself out from under the table, setting off a party popper that covered Silver in pieces of multicoloured paper as he did so. "I'm none other than the Trick Master, and you've successfully found me, so welcome! Welcome to the Trick House!"

"Er... thanks. I was wondering whether I could stay here tonight? I'm a Pokemon Trainer on a journey to Mauville City," he indicated his Pokemon and the Trick Master smiled.

"Of course, of course. You can stay here. Just expect your stay to be... unforgettable!"

"Right. Well, I'll check back later, then; I'm going outside to train for a bit, if that's OK,"

"Of course, of course," the Trick Master repeated, and fixed Silver with his huge grin until the Trainer left and shut the door behind him.

"What a weirdo. Well, I guess it takes all sorts... Anyway, we'd better get going. Combusken, keep going with that Double Kick. It's already great, but as it's one of your specialties, we may as well get it as good as it can possibly be. Corphish, let's work on your Vicegrip. Again, it's good, but it can always be better. Shroomish... I'd like to say Stun Spore, but I don't think we'll find a willing subject anywhere. So you can do laps with me and Nincada, and work on your speed and endurance. OK everyone? Then let's get started," It didn't take long for Silver to get tired out, but luckily his Pokemon had a lot more endurance, and the training session continued for at least a couple of hours until dusk fell. By the end of it, Nincada was still Nincada; what was more, he got tangled up in his Macho Brace twice over the course of the training session, which took a lot of skill and luck to undo. Silver realised what it must be like to have children as he watched Nincada sleep, having eaten more than his fair share of food and letting everyone else untangle him whilst he reposed. 'Someday Nincada will evolve,' Silver assured himself. 'Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday,'. However, he was getting less and less sure about this with each passing day. No wonder Nincada was called the Trainee Pokemon, the amount of time that needed to be spent on evolving him. When he looked up and saw that the sun was setting, he called a halt to the training session; it had been a stressful day, what with the visit to Slateport City, and they all deserved an early night. Obeying the sign outside the Trick House again, he and his Pokemon moved three steps across and two steps up; this time it was Combusken who pressed the doorbell, although Silver still took the jet of water.

"Hello there, my fine young Trainer! Are you thinking of turning in already?" the Trick Master said as he ushered them inside.

"Yeah, we haven't had the best day. So, where are your dormitories?"

"Just through that door over there. Ignore the scroll," the Trick Master replied, and Silver opened the door as instructed; he chanced a glance at the scroll and saw it was covered with weird markings. Beyond the door was pitch blackness.

"Where's the light switch?" Silver asked tiredly, and the Trick Master sidled up behind him.

"Just down there," he said, and shoved Silver through the door. He instantly felt the ground disappear beneath him, and he knew despite the darkness that he was tumbling uncontrollably down some sort of slide. His Pokemon followed in a tangled heap, and landed on their master as the chute ended, depositing them all in a lit-up room. Judging by the wall in front of him, which had a gap halfway along, he realised he was in some sort of maze.

"What's going on? What has that maniac done to us?" Silver asked grumpily, getting to his feet and rubbing his head painfully from where Shroomish landed on it. "Looks like we'll have to find our way through this maze for the amusement of the Trick Master. And when we find him, Combusken, hit him with that 'ten kicks a second' the Pokedex said you could do, OK?" Combusken nodded once, and Silver knew that the Fire Pokemon took his words completely seriously. They walked slowly into the maze, and Silver ordered them all to be on the lookout for the exit as they warily proceeded. "Hey... what's that tile over there? It's got a crazy pattern on it. D'you think it's one of those warp things?" Silver suddenly spotted an oddly-patterned tile completely out of place with the rest of its fellows, sitting in the middle of a crossroads. "OK, we need to all jump on it at once. I don't want to leave anyone behind. Three... two... one... jump!" Silver and the Pokemon leapt onto the tile together, but suddenly it started spinning crazily; Corphish was the first to lose his grip and hurtled down the left passageway, followed by Shroomish, who catapulted down the right; Combusken went north and Silver and Nincada were thrown south, back where they had started. "Oh no... Nincada, are you OK?" Nincada squeaked, having been awoken from his sleep in the weirdest way possible, and Silver ran to the crossroads, looking down each path. He couldn't see anything. But who to go after first? All of them meant a lot to him, and he never picked favourites. Then he had an idea; let fate decide. "Here we go!" he jumped on the tile again, and was blasted after Combusken. After flying several feet, he landed next to the Young Fowl Pokemon, who was looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "I knew you had a Brave nature, but this is ridiculous. You and Hypno should get together some time," Silver said, getting up and seeing his Pokemon's blank face.

"Combusken," Combusken replied, pointing down the corridor.

"I agree, let's keep going. We might meet up with Corphish or Shroomish later on," Silver said decisively, and he, Combusken and Nincada walked warily down the passageway, alert for any traps or sign of their companions. When they turned a corner, they found themselves faced with none other than Corphish. "Some maze this is. How are you, Corphish? Were you hurt by that stupid tile?" Corphish stayed silent and motionless, and immediately Silver knew something wasn't right. "Combusken, go and use Double Kick against that thing. It's not like the Corphish I know to stay still," he said, and Combusken darted over, delivering two powerful kicks to Corphish's face. The Corphish gave a loud squeak and bounced around, propelled by Combusken's kicks; a rubber toy. "We are in the Trick House, I guess. I wonder how long it took the Trick Master to make that thing," he gestured at the Corphish toy as he and Combusken walked past, Nincada in his arms. As they turned yet another corner after several minutes of aimless wandering, they were confronted with a row of targets, from which a pit separated them, a shut metal door behind the targets, and a small blue scroll on the ground. "'Hit the targets to open the door'," Silver read, and as the last word left his lips the targets immediately started moving back and forth, making them much more difficult to hit. "Great. I hope they're not filming this for some stupid TV show," Silver muttered to himself. "Combusken, d'you think you can hit them with Ember?"

"Combusken!" Combusken blasted out a stream of fire which just stopped short of the targets. Combusken puffed himself up to try again, but Silver stopped him.

"I've got a better idea. Do you think you can leap the pit? Then you can destroy the targets with Scratch or Double Kick," Combusken nodded and tensed his powerful legs, before launching into a magnificent jump that more than cleared the pit; he even used the momentum to kick a few targets down on the way past. Then, making short work of the rest after a perfect landing, he triggered a mechanism that extended a bridge over the pit and opened the metal door. "That was brilliant, Combusken!" Silver said as he made his way over the bridge and through the door.

"Combusken!" Combusken smiled happily. And so they continued. Suddenly, they heard a familiar cry;

"Shroomish! Shroomish!" Racing in the direction of the voice, they found Shroomish himself, stuck in some glue-like substance that barred his path, and that he had evidently tried to wade through.

"Don't worry, Shroomish. We're here to help," Silver reassured him, and together he and Combusken managed to lever the mushroom Pokemon free, scraping off the rest of the glue with Silver's 'Pokemon Master's Cookbook', which he still had after all this time. As he stuffed the near-ruined book back in his bag, he remembered when his mother had given it to him at the start of his very first Pokemon journey, back in New Bark Town. "Are you alright, Shroomish? Can you still move your legs?" he asked, stirring himself out of reminisces, and Shroomish nodded stolidly. "So let's keep going. And keep an eye out for Corphish," Several minutes later, they came up against another door. Not only that, they found Corphish himself waiting nearby, clutching a scroll in his claws.

"Corphish! Corphish!" he cried, and scuttled over to them happily handing the scroll to Silver. He unfurled it and read,

"'The Trick Master is a genius'. Yeah, right..." But at his words, the door swung open, and beyond was a staircase that led upwards into the unknown. Everyone stood still for a moment, before Combusken volunteered himself and walked up the stairs first, followed by the rest (keeping at a good distance, of course). They emerged, somehow, in the very same room by which they had entered the maze; the plain apartment-type place where the Trick Master had been hiding under the table. "OK, that's it. I'm taking the sensible option for once and cutting this short," Silver said, and he and the Pokemon left the Trick House, getting sprayed with more water and party poppers as they went, before finding a soft patch of grass and collapsing into sleep, the ordeal having proved too much for their fragile bodies and minds.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 15**

Silver walked up Route 110, towards Mauville City, in an uncommonly bad mood. He had not only had a bad and uncomfortable night's sleep on the grass near the Trick House, but he had been awoken in a particularly painful way by a sleep-Double Kick from Combusken, who was apparently having a dream about a particularly vicious battle at the time. Not only that, it transpired that Nincada had eaten all the food in his eternal quest to pupate and evolve. Thus Silver had recalled all of his Pokemon and put Nincada inside his messenger bag so he didn't have to carry anything, and concentrated on calming down as he walked up the thin road surrounded by a large, peaceful lake. Unfortunately, he realised as his stomach growled in tandem with spotting something unwelcome on the horizon, it wasn't going to be his day again.

"Hey, Silver! Boy, you're looking rough. What did you do, sleep on the ground?" Emerald once again didn't hesitate to give her opinion as she drew closer to her former companion.

"Move it, you, I'm going to Mauville City to get my third Gym badge," Silver replied tiredly.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"It's a good way to greet an old enemy, though," Silver countered. "Please, I just don't think I can stand your constant insults today,"

"Luckily for both of us, I'm not planning on travelling to Mauville myself. I've already been there and won me a Dynamobadge. Now I'm off to Lavaridge Town for my fourth. So you managed to win a Stonebadge, did you?"

"And a Knucklebadge. Torchic evolved into Combusken, too,"

"I've even beaten you on those stakes. Lotad and Treecko both evolved, _and_ I caught a new Pokemon. But judging by that creepy thing poking out of your bag, you have too," she pointed to Nincada.

"Leave him alone. In fact, leave _me_ alone. Like I said, I'm not in the mood,"

"What? Did you and Crystal split?" she teased.

"I managed to repair the damage you inflicted with your blundering words with some thoughtful gifts, so unfortunately for you, we're still together,"

"What do you mean, unfortunately for me?" she said dangerously.

"I know you hate to see me happy. But enough of this conversation; I'm depressed as it is, so there's no point making it worse,"

"Get a grip, all I want is a battle,"

"A battle? Sorry, I don't have time,"

"Not even for a tiny battle? A single match, three one-on-one fights?" Emerald pleaded. "Come on, I want to prove how I can beat you,"

"Fine. But just promise me that you'll leave me alone afterwards, OK?"

"To give you some incentive to try, I'll only leave you alone if you win. If I win, well... that's its own punishment, right?" Silver shook himself down and rubbed his eyes, trying to get up his concentration enough to battle his Hoenn rival. 'Come on,' he told himself, 'You can do this. You beat her last time, and that was with Torchic alone. Now you've got three great Pokemon'.

"OK, let's do it," he sighed.

"Yes! Lombre, I choose you!" A relaxed-looking, hunched Grass and Water type Pokemon appeared, wearing a huge lily-pad like a sombrero.

"Shroomish, go!" Silver released his own Grass Pokemon in return, theorising that he at least wouldn't be weak against Lombre. "Ladies first," he said, when no attack was forthcoming.

"Fine, but you'll wish you never said that. Lombre, Astonish!" Lombre reared up and advanced on Shroomish quickly, pulling a terrifying face to stun his foe into immobility.

"Shroomish, Tackle!" Silver countered, and Shroomish rammed Lombre away with a head-butt that showed at least that his speed training had paid off.

"Lombre, hit him with Absorb!"

"Shroomish, use your Absorb too!" The two Pokemon battled it out, their own crackles of green energy blasting against each other as the creatures tried to best their opponent by any means possible. This time, Silver hoped he had the advantage of surprise. "Shroomish, dodge away and Tackle!" He knew his best option, seeing as Emerald was more of a rookie Trainer than himself, was to go for the unexpected and catch her out. This particular tactic had worked even against Gym Leaders and the Elite Four, so he didn't expect any trouble from Emerald. Sure enough, Shroomish hopped aside, and Lombre's Absorb blasted against the ground as the mushroom Pokemon slammed him aside with a charge.

"Lombre, use Growl!" Emerald said, and Lombre caused Shroomish to stumble backwards on releasing a vicious snarl.

"Shroomish, Stun Spore!" Shroomish struck back with a rippling orange wave of nerve-attacking natural dust, which swirled around Lombre and seized up his long arms and stumpy legs.

"Lombre!" Lombre groaned, barely able to open his mouth.

"Lombre, quickly! Absorb!" Emerald said, and Lombre struggled to lift his hands to amass the necessary energy. Silver knew it was all about speed now.

"Shroomish, Tackle! Then Absorb!" Shroomish ran forwards and battered Lombre off his feet, before attacking him with energy-sapping bolts.

"Lombre, fight back! I know you can do it!"

"Shroomish, keep it up! There's not long now!" Lombre managed to stagger to his feet under the orders of his Trainer, but fell forwards again almost instantly, too tired to continue. "Yes! Only one more left to win! Shroomish, return. You were really good,"

"Lombre, come back. You did your best, and you did well. Slugma, I choose you!" As the creature, composed of dripping, hissing lava, made its appearance, Silver found himself wishing that Politoed was here; not for the first time. But at least he did have one rather strong Water Pokemon on his side.

"Corphish, let's go! Start off with a Bubble!" Corphish appeared, and clashed his pincers once before blasting a horde of bubbles at Slugma.

"Slugma, Smog!" Slugma opened his mouth and breathed out a disgusting cloud of noxious vapours that not only hid him from view, but threatened to Poison Corphish as well.

"Corphish, can you shake that off?" Silver asked, and Corphish shivered once, shaking some horrible droplets off his shell, before clashing his claws again. "That's the Corphish I know! Get ready for a Vicegrip, but also be prepared to dodge. Slugma's obviously going to attack from his position,"

"Oh is he now? Slugma, Yawn!" Emerald said, and Silver knew she was trying to go for the unexpected too. To his annoyance, she seemed to have succeeded; Slugma let out a great yawn, which Corphish quickly imitated, and his eyes were suddenly looking bleary as sleep threatened to overcome him.

"Keep going, Corphish! There he is; attack with a Vicegrip!" Corphish blundered forwards like a drunk, his claws wide open, but Slugma was too slow and clumsy to dodge, so the Vicegrip actually hit dead-on. However, Silver knew something terrible had happened as Corphish cried out, leaping about a foot in the air and scuttling away, favouring his now-flaming pincers and running left and right as he tried to put it out.

"Ha! Now that's the unexpected. You should study up on your Pokemon abilities; Slugma's got a Flame Body that burns anyone who touches him," Emerald said smugly.

"What better way to counter a Flame Body than with a Water Pokemon? Corphish, use Bubble on yourself if necessary!" Silver said impatiently as Corphish continued to run to and fro. The Ruffian Pokemon was blasted backwards as his own Bubble attack exploded against his claw, and still it was on fire. Emerald was doubled over with laughter.

"Looks like your Corphish is a few nurses short of a Pokemon Centre, if you get my meaning," she said, watching Corphish get back up.

"Ignore her, Corphish. Everyone else does. There's a silver lining to this; at least it woke you up from that Yawn attack, right?" Corphish looked daggers at him and he sighed. "Why do I bother?" he said to himself, before remembering there was a battle to win. "Bubble, now! On Slugma this time," he added, and Corphish finally hit Slugma with an attack, and a super-effective one at that. Slugma hissed with pain as he was blasted away, and landed in a disoriented blob rather than his usual slug-like form.

"Slugma, Rock Throw!" Emerald cried, and Slugma actually hardened a few lumps of its own body before flinging them at Corphish.

"Harden! Boy, that can't be good for Slugma. He's basically pelting Corphish with bits of his own body," Corphish was enveloped with a bright sheen that deflected most of Slugma's attack with ease.

"Slugma reforms himself in no time. Use Ember!" Emerald said as Slugma expanded, melting the ground beneath him to replace the mass he had lost before blasting Corphish with a spurt of flames.

"Corphish, Bubble again! You can survive that Ember easily,"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, ignoring the flames and blasting them aside with a volley of bubbles, which continued on to slam into Slugma and knock him out for the count.

"Yes! Corphish, that was fantastic! We win, now goodbye," Silver said, withdrawing the victorious Corphish and making to circumvent Emerald.

"Slugma, return. You only won because you had the type advantage," Emerald pouted.

"Yes, because Shroomish was super-effective against Lombre, wasn't he?" Silver replied sarcastically.

"But Corphish had the advantage in that one. I'd like to see how you cope with a type disadvantage," she challenged him.

"We can't, can we? I've got Combusken, and you've got... whoever Treecko evolves into. He's Grass, Combusken's Fire. End of story,"

"Killjoy. I wish I was Brendan's rival instead..."

"Whatever. Maybe I'll see you later, but if the universe is kind, then this is our last goodbye," Silver said, leaving Emerald behind with her hands on her hips and looking angry.

"We will meet again, Silver! And when we do, I'll win! Now you've said that, I'm going to make it my mission to track you down and harass you as much as I can!"

"What happened to 'friends and rivals'?" Silver asked ironically, referring to the pledge they had made when they first travelled together. Her last sentence had reminded him horribly of his old rival Gold.

"I still want to be friends and rivals. That's why I challenged you today. But if you never want to see me again, then fine. I'll show you. I'll become the Champion of Hoenn, and then who'll be laughing?"

"Me, when I beat you. Look, I'm sorry, OK? I shouldn't have said what I did. I'd be happy to battle you again sometime. But... today was just a bad day. Let's make a truce, shall we? That we'll be both friends and rivals, not just rivals," Silver sighed. He hated seeing people upset, even annoying people like Emerald, and would say almost anything to cheer them up. She smiled, and he felt relieved.

"That sounds good. I'd better be off, anyway. Trainers to beat, Pokemon to catch... you know the drill. Good luck in your third Gym battle," she said, then waved once and continued down the pathway alone.

"Some people," he said to himself. "You can't live with them, and you can't live without them. Mostly because they always show up when you least expect it. Us humans are strange, right, Nincada?" he said, feeling slightly better and more awake after their battle and making-up, but he looked down to see Nincada dozing softly. "Don't you ever wake up? No wonder you'll never evolve, if you sleep all of that experience off," he grumbled, and continued to walk towards Mauville City.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 16**

Mauville City reminded Silver of Goldenrod, not only in what buildings it contained but how life went on there. And this was not a good thing. Goldenrod had been loud, frantic and uncaring, a haven for workaholics and shopaholics alike, but not a nice place for two children raised in quiet little towns. Luckily, there had been a lot to do there, which had endeared him and Crystal to it at the time. Mauville seemed almost worse in a way, as there weren't half of the landmarks to visit, and there was no Crystal there with him to provide comfort, support and light-heartedness. There was Combusken, who stared at him blankly whether he was making a joke or confessing his darkest secrets; Shroomish, who would admittedly provide some much-needed enthusiasm but, as his Naive nature suggested, was kind of slow on the uptake sometimes; Corphish, whom words couldn't accurately describe; and Nincada, who would probably sleep, train or eat his way through any day with no problem whatsoever. What ticked Silver off more than this or his night sleeping on the ground was the fact that he had the theme tune to the 'Marshtomp Thanks' Show in his head, and he had no idea even how he knew it. What he needed was some much-needed recreation time, followed by a good night's sleep in a soft Pokemon Centre bed. And what better form of recreation than visiting Hoenn's Game Corner?

"OK, guys, come on out. This is Mauville City," he said tiredly, releasing his Pokemon to walk alongside him. "We're going to the Game Corner to play some games and relax for a while. Then, as we're already more than halfway through the day, we can spend the rest of it training. Tomorrow, we're challenging the Gym, alright?" There was silence for a second before Shroomish hopped up and down.

"Shroomish!" he cried.

"Thank you. At least somebody's enthusiastic. Let's get going," The Game Corner was a gaudy-looking purple building covered with flashing light-bulbs which made Silver feel as if he was about to have a seizure of some sort. He could hear the sounds of merriment and shouting within, as well as the clatter of slot machines as people won or lost money. And, no matter how hard he looked, he could find no sign that said 'No Pokemon Inside'. This was what had barred him and Crystal from the other two Game Corners, in Goldenrod and Celadon City, and it was with a huge sense of irony that he pushed open the door and entered the landmark without his best friend there. The many weird sensations rolled over him together, bombarding his senses with the chattering of people's voices, the ringing of bells to indicate winners, the sorrowful mourning of losers, and the smells of food, drink and sweat as people spent vast amounts of hard-earned money on making that bit more. "Which game d'you want to try out first? Anybody? Combusken, throw me a bone here," he pleaded, but Combusken shrugged. "Fine. I'll stoop to unplumbed depths, then. Corphish, I'll let you decide,"

"Corphish!" Corphish said happily, and dragged everyone over to an odd wheel-like contraption that looked very complicated. It was striped black and red and there was a small metal ball bouncing around; the people seemed to be betting where exactly it would land.

"Good call, Corphish. How hard can this be? Let's see... As Corphish chose the game, I'll go with his overriding colour. I think it'll land on the red," He slapped a few notes down on the table and a guy in a tuxedo span the wheel as hard as he could. The ball stuck almost immediately on one of the black stripes. "What?! How contrived is that? This is your fault for having a red shell, Corphish. Right, this time I'll go for black," He should have foreseen it, but it was still an annoyance to see the ball land on red. "Let's go. The slot machines might not be as fixed as this obviously is," Suddenly he felt a stirring in his messenger bag, and looked down to see whether Nincada was awaking at last, but instead he saw Corphish's pincers rootling around for some more cash. "Corphish, no!" he cried, but the Ruffian Pokemon had already grabbed a huge wedge of money and slapped it down on the table, indicating the black. Silver's face froze with shock, except for his twitching eye, as he watched the wheel spin, with Corphish looking very pleased with himself as if it was completely logical to fritter away all of their money on a game of chance. What made Silver keel over backwards with disbelief was that the ball stuck in a black stripe, forcing the guy in a tuxedo to push a rather bigger pile of money towards them with some wooden instrument. "Corphish, we're rich! Not only are you a great battler, but you've got a knack for gambling too!" Silver said, grabbing some of the money and stuffing it in his bag, more than replacing the wodge that Corphish took. However, before he could grab the rest, a certain claw was pushing the rest of it towards the tuxedo guy again, indicating the black. The ball landed on red. The human and his three awake Pokemon hunched over with a great, collective sigh, as suddenly their surroundings seemed greyer and more depressing.

"Shroomish," Shroomish said miserably, epitomising their feelings in one dismal word.

"You always have to go a step too far, Corphish. We were in the money there, until you..." Silver found himself unable to continue, and they trooped out of the Game Corner with the good cheer of a funeral procession. He realised that he didn't have the courage to tell Crystal about visiting the Game Corner after all. "So where else is there to go here? Rydel's Cycles and the Gym. And as we don't have enough money for a bike at the minute," he took the time to give Corphish a withering glance, "And I don't think Rydel will give free bikes to Trainers, we'll have to spend our time in a more... punishing way. It's time for training, everyone!" To his disappointment, everyone was enthusiastic about this, but Combusken pointed west. "Huh? What are you looking at, Combusken? I can't see anything," he squinted, but the Fire Pokemon tapped the Pokenav. "Oh, I see. Let's have a look at what lies west to Mauville. Hey, it's Verdanturf Town! That's where Wally lives, right?"

"Combusken!" Combusken said enthusiastically.

"Then let's put off the training for now and go and visit," Paradoxically, the Pokemon seemed just as happy about not training as they had about training. It might have just been his imagination, but Silver thought that on leaving Mauville City the air became fresher and cleaner. As they walked down the route towards Verdanturf Town, taking their time as it was such a nice day weather-wise, Silver spotted a small building that the Pokenav described as the Day Care Centre. "Nincada, look at this! Day Care Centres specialise in raising Pokemon well. Why don't you stay there for a while? It might help you evolve quicker," he suggested, but Nincada shook his head fiercely and shifted into a more comfortable position in Silver's messenger bag. As they walked past, they saw a variety of Pokemon playing, some of which Silver had never seen before and needed a scan from the Pokedex to ascertain their identity. They all looked healthy and happy, but Silver was pleased that Nincada wasn't going to be staying there; he quite enjoyed the creature's company, when it was awake of course, and had grown used to his presence. He was almost a surrogate Togetic, albeit one that focused less on comforting and supporting him and more on eating. They saw several people on the route, all wearing similar red aprons and headscarves, and all with a full complement of admittedly common or low-level Pokemon, such as Zigzagoon or Whismur. "They must be Pokemon Breeders. Being so close to a Day Care must be great experience for them," Silver remarked as he passed a girl sprinkling water over what was revealed to be a Roselia.

"Excuse me, could I take a look at your Pokemon?" a boy suddenly asked them, darting in front of them to block their path. He was younger than Silver and looked as though he was just starting a fresh-faced career in Pokemon Breeding.

"OK, sure. This is Combusken, Shroomish and Corphish. And Nincada, of course," Silver added, tapping the messenger bag.

"Yes, I know. To be a Breeder, you need to have a widespread but comprehensive knowledge of Pokemon. Hmm..." the boy knelt down and looked at Corphish beadily. Eventually, he said, "Your Corphish is in great condition. He looks a little tired, but the sheen of his shell and the obvious power in his pincers show that he's at a higher than average level. He looks pretty happy as well. Combusken's in fantastic shape. Just looking at those muscular legs... a Pokemon Breeder's dream come true. He's happy, he's powerful, and his plumage is great," Silver shifted in embarrassment. Since when did anybody admire a Pokemon's legs? It seemed a bit bizarre to him. "Now onto Shroomish..."

"No! Don't touch him. He's got an ability that covers anyone in spores on physical contact," Silver cried, knocking the Breeder aside before he could touch the mushroom Pokemon.

"Ah, Effect Spore. Well, judging by the overall look of him, he's definitely happy. On the whole, your team looks really great. Judging by those two badges, you've obviously got talent. You might even have Day Care skills,"

"I think that might be going a bit far..." Silver said, embarrassed but pleased nonetheless. "Have you met a boy called Wally, who moved to Verdanturf a few days ago? He has a Ralts as a companion,"

"I think so. He's got green hair, right? And he's a bit sickly too. Yes, I know the guy. His Ralts was what inspired me to become a Breeder, to be honest. The two of them seemed so good together... Ralts and its evolutions get more beautiful as they get happier, and this Ralts was the most beautiful I've ever seen. And I've been to official Contests where Ralts have been on show,"

"That's fantastic! I knew those two would be good friends. Well, I'm off to visit him now. Thanks for all of your comments about my Pokemon, I really appreciate it. Say thanks, guys!"

"Combusken," Combusken nodded at the Breeder solemnly as if pledging his lifelong friendship.

"Shroomish!" Shroomish said excitedly, a big smile on his face.

"Corphish!" Corphish said, clashing his pincers happily at the compliments ladled upon him.

"Good luck on your dreams as a Breeder. I'm sure you'll be great in no time,"

"Good luck to you too! I'm sure you'll win all of Hoenn's badges with those great Pokemon. Well, see you!"

"Bye!" Silver smiled as they continued. The conversation had been interesting, informative and complimentary; the very best kind. But he didn't know whether he lived up to the Breeder's praise. What pleased him more than anything, though, was the news that Wally was doing well. As they progressed into Verdanturf Town itself, Silver knew that the air had definitely changed. It was far cleaner and colder than the air of Mauville City, as if a giant filter protected the whole town. Every breath made him feel refreshed and healthy, as if he was feeling a new lease on life. So far, if he had to live anywhere in Hoenn, it would be here. But when he grew old enough, he hoped to move back to New Bark Town so he could be in the land he loved with Crystal. After asking for some directions, and luckily finding out that Verdanturf was the sort of place where everybody knew everybody else, he stood outside Wally's new home. According to what Wally's parents had said back in Petalburg City, Wally was now living with his aunt and uncle. It was a nice enough house, although smaller than the one in Petalburg City, and the windows were all open to let in the fresh air. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for an answer, and was soon rewarded as a plump woman opened it, looking at him questioningly but not unkindly.

"Yes?" she asked politely.

"Er... hello. I'm here to see Wally? I was told this was where he lived,"

"Wally does live here, but first I must ask you who you are. Never let in a stranger, that's my motto,"

"OK. I'm Silver, from New Bark Town. My dad's Norman, the Gym Leader from Petalburg City,"

"Yes, I can definitely see the resemblance. Wally's told us all about you, of course, so come in, come in..." She ushered Silver inside and he entered a simple living room, with little technology but a warm and practical look. "Wally's room is just upstairs, on the right. He'll be so pleased to see you. Before you go up, let me just say thank you. I hear that you persuaded Wally's parents to allow him to catch a Pokemon, and persuaded Wally himself to move here?"

"Yeah, sort of. I just gave them a nudge in the right direction, if you know what I mean,"

"So modest. But these two factors combined have done wonders for Wally's condition. He's far more alive than I think I've ever seen him. This family owes you a great debt,"

"No, no, being friends with Wally is more than enough," Silver assured her. "So, upstairs on the right..." He took his leave before he got even more uncomfortable, walking up the staircase faster than normal and stopping only to help Shroomish and Corphish navigate the steps with their ill-adapted legs. He didn't like the idea of anybody thinking they owed him anything, because he knew he'd never call upon their help no matter how bad things got. Silver was the sort of person who didn't like to inconvenience others, after all, even to his own detriment.

"Hello? Aunt, is that you?" a familiar voice, but rather stronger and firmer in tone, came from the bedroom on the right.

"Not exactly," Silver said, pushing the door open gently. "Remember me?"

"Silver!" Wally cried delightedly, and ran over to embrace him in a one-armed hug. In his other arm was cradled Ralts, just as beautiful as the Breeder had professed.

"I told you I'd come and visit. How are you? How's Ralts?" Silver said, sitting down as Wally gestured towards the bed, himself sitting on a chair next to a desk.

"We're both great," Wally said, and by his smile and more confident, fluid movements, Silver thoroughly believed it. "Verdanturf has made me feel stronger and better than I've ever felt before. Being with Ralts has just made everything that bit better; we're inseparable,"

"Ralts!" Ralts cried happily from his arm, nuzzling into his chest. Wally spared her a loving smile before continuing.

"I seriously think that I'll be ready for a Pokemon journey in no time. No joke. I've already picked out a team that I'd like, with Ralts at the head, of course,"

"Wow. You're way better prepared than I am; I just blunder along and catch whatever I feel like. By the way, this is Shroomish, Nincada and Corphish. You'll remember Combusken, although he was slightly different when you last met,"

"Torchic evolved! That's really great. Shroomish, Corphish and Nincada... a good mix of types there. And I see you've got two badges already,"

"Yep. Tomorrow, I'm going for my third, in Mauville City,"

"Tomorrow? Well then, why don't you stop off here for tonight? We can have another sleepover. Come on, my Aunt makes a great breakfast, and the beds here are way softer than any at a Pokemon Centre. You can have the spare room, just down the hallway,"

"I don't know whether your Aunt will want me to stay the night..."

"Oh, don't say that. I know for absolute certain that she'll be happy to let you stay. I've already told her you're my best friend, and adults are always pestering me about friends,"

"I'd be happy to, then. We can have a nice long catch-up. Ralts and my team can get to know each other, too," And so it was decided. As the Pokemon played close by, Ralts unwilling to let Wally too much out of sight, Wally and Silver either sat in his room and talked or walked around Verdanturf, with Wally pointing out various sights and demonstrating how much steadier his walking was. Gone were the trembling and frailty; in their place were health and confidence. Watching him talk enthusiastically about what Pokemon he'd want and why, Silver truly realised that in time to come, Wally would make a Pokemon Trainer of very high calibre; someone he'd have to watch out for in the future.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 17**

Silver woke up even earlier than usual on the day of his Gym battle in Mauville City, as he knew he had to make the short walk back to Mauville from Verdanturf Town, and then have a good portion of the day left after his Gym match. Wally had been correct both about the soft bed and his aunt's cooking, which made him feel a thousand times more ready and prepared than he had yesterday, although he still didn't know what types the Mauville City Gym Leader trained. Hopefully, Scott would be on hand to inform him of this minor detail. After getting dressed and washed, Silver and Wally walked to the outskirts of Verdanturf together before going their separate ways; Wally's family didn't want him leaving Verdanturf for a while, so he could have unbroken long-term exposure to the air. Feeling even more pumped for battle after several breaths of the aforementioned air, he veritably marched to Mauville, his Pokemon in their Pokeballs to give them even more rest and Nincada asleep in his bag. Today, he promised himself, he would win his third Gym badge. Whoever the Gym Leader was, he wouldn't stand a chance. What heightened his good mood was spotting Scott and Hypno waiting outside, and he walked up to them confidently.

"Morning, Silver. Feeling up to a battle?"

"Am I ever! That Verdanturf air really packs a punch,"

"Verdanturf? Why did you go there? I can't recall anything of interest to a Pokemon Trainer being there last time I looked..."

"My friend Wally lives there now. I slept over at his house last night," Silver explained. "How are you, Hypno? Still eating Scott's dreams?" Hypno nodded once, both as a greeting and confirmation of his words.

"Today's match might be a bit tougher than the last one. The Leader's called Wattson, and he trains Electric types. Corphish is weak against them, and unless he uses Magnemite or Magneton, neither Combusken nor Shroomish are going to be super-effective against them. Remember your battle with Lt. Surge?" Silver nodded, suddenly feeling more nervous. Electric types had always been a bit of a problem for him, as none of his team members had ever been of the Ground type. Electric types were also powerful and fast, sometimes able to knock a foe out with a single well-aimed lightning bolt. Defeating them would be no mean feat, especially those raised by a Gym Leader. However, this was no time to turn back.

"Shall we go in?" he asked, and Scott nodded, holding open the door for him. The Gym, as was to be expected, was well lit with many electric lights overhead. For some reason, there were even emitters dotted around that blasted a wall of lightning between them, creating an impossible barrier. However, Silver found it relatively easy to slip through the gaps and he stopped at the battle-field, upon which waited an old, grey-haired man in an aviator's jacket. "Hello, sir. I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. Are you Wattson, the Gym Leader here?"

"Hahahahaha!" the man cried, making Silver jump. "I'm Wattson alright! They may call me eccentric or old, but a jollier soul you'll never find anywhere. You should always try and be happy, Silver; makes life easier, it does. So, I'm guessing you're here to challenge me for a Dynamobadge!"

"If it's OK by you," Silver replied, and jumped again as Wattson let off another roar of laughter.

"Wahahahaha! OK by me? Of course it's OK! I'm a Gym Leader! It's my job to accept challengers! Four Pokemon each?"

"Four? But... I know someone who battled you yesterday, and she only has three Pokemon," Silver said nervously, chewing his lip, as he remembered what Emerald had said.

"Yes, I remember her. She made things quite difficult for me, I can tell you! Hahahahaha! But one of my Electrikes evolved into Manectric after battling her. That means I've got a team of four again, with both Manectric and Electrike in,"

"But..." Silver mumbled again, "I've only got three,"

"Sorry. Gym rules, as of today. Four or nothing, until my other Electrike evolves. Don't zap yourself on the way out! Wahahahahaha!" Silver turned on his heel to leave, but Scott stopped him.

"What about Nincada?" he hissed.

"Are you crazy? Nincada's not even mine! Plus, what chance would he have against a Gym Leader?"

"A pretty good chance, seeing as he's partly a Ground type. Electric moves won't affect him," Scott pointed out calmly. "He has got four Pokemon after all, Wattson. Are you still willing to accept his challenge?"

"Huh? Caught a new one already, have you? Wahahahahaha! Come on then! Get ready to be electrified! Voltorb, I choose you!" Silver took a deep breath and walked to his position opposite Wattson, preparing himself for battle again. He had to think about this logically and clearly if he wanted to have a chance. Voltorb was a pure Electric type with great speed but not very good defence. Nincada was best saved until last, when all hope seemed lost, whereas Corphish was best used first, to test out the enemy's strengths. He didn't like using the Water Pokemon so casually, but Corphish would have to fight at some point unless his other Pokemon pulled off a star turn, so he may as well try and injure Voltorb for one of the others.

"Corphish, I choose you!" Corphish clashed his pincers and scuttled forwards, as gutsy as ever.

"A Water type? The boy's mad! Voltorb, start off with a Spark!" Voltorb covered himself completely in throbbing electricity and rolled quickly at Corphish, crackling menacingly.

"Corphish, dodge it! Then hit him with a Bubble!" Silver cried, and Corphish rolled to the side, before straightening up and blasting Voltorb with exploding bubbles as he shot past. Voltorb turned to face Corphish again, his eyes angry, and sparks of electricity spat from his body as he prepared for another attack.

"Let's try something unexpected, then! Rollout, Voltorb!" Voltorb rolled towards Corphish again, although this time he thankfully wasn't encased in a web of lightning. Silver breathed a short sigh of relief as Voltorb sped towards Corphish; Wattson's eccentricity was apparently working in his favour, as the man wanted to prolong the battle for fun. He would have to throw everything he had at Voltorb and hope he could catch him off-guard before his master could move onto deadlier attacks.

"Corphish, Bubble! Fend him off!" Silver ordered, and the spinning Voltorb was halted in his tracks mere metres from Corphish as the Ruffian Pokemon kept up a barrage of bubbles. However, Voltorb was spinning faster and faster, gradually moving closer, and Silver had enough experience of Rollout to know that it only got more and more powerful as it went along. What he had to do was use it against him. But how? "Corphish, charge him with a Vicegrip!" Corphish darted forwards, stopping his Bubble, and instead of Voltorb connecting with him, it was the other way around. He lifted the spinning Voltorb above the ground, barely containing the creature in a tenuous Vicegrip and giving Silver the split-second chance to think up another tactic. "Bubble again! Blast him upwards!" Seconds before Voltorb was about to break free and hammer Corphish, the Water Pokemon pounded him with a close-range hail of bubbles, sending him flying before an awkward landing. This, for better or worse, managed to disorient the Ball Pokemon and halt the Rollout, pushing Wattson back to square one. However, Silver was exceptionally nervous; one Electric attack would likely be Corphish's demise, and an Electric attack wouldn't be long in coming.

"You're clever, I'll give you that. Voltorb, Spark!" Voltorb sped towards Corphish again, faster this time due to his rage.

"Corphish, left!" Silver spluttered, and Corphish dodged by a hairsbreadth. "Now, when his lightning goes down, Vicegrip!" As Voltorb got back to normal, turning to face his foe again, Corphish was there, opening his claws as wide as he could to try and grip Voltorb tightly. As he struggled to get a firm grip on the Electric Pokemon, Wattson took his chance.

"Voltorb, Spark!" This time Corphish was too close to dodge, and Voltorb slammed into him with a flash of electricity. Voltorb buzzed victoriously as Corphish lay limply on his back, defeated.

"Corphish, return. You did really well, especially considering that you had a type disadvantage. Shroomish, it's your turn!" Shroomish replaced Corphish on the battle-field, really making Silver sweat. He was one down already, and it wasn't going to get any easier from here.

"Voltorb, keep it up! We'll zap 'em from here to Verdanturf!" Wattson cried, before bellowing with laughter again. Someone who acted so casually, and yet fought so hard, made Silver very uneasy, and he found it difficult to focus his thoughts.

"Shroomish, start off with Stun Spore, to slow Voltorb down," he said, and Shroomish unleashed a cloud of orange spores which drifted onto Voltorb. Silver didn't know whether Voltorb had any muscles to paralyse, but he hoped it would work anyway.

"Voltorb, you're still fast! Rollout again!" Voltorb sped towards Shroomish, knowing that an Electric attack wouldn't work very well so stooping to a Rock type move to dish out some pain. Silver was hit by a moment of indecision; should he make the clumsy Shroomish try and dodge, or launch an attack of his own? Voltorb used that time to make the decision for him, whacking directly into Shroomish. Luckily, as it was early days, the Rollout didn't do too much damage, but Silver could see Voltorb building up more momentum as he rolled around for another pass.

"Shroomish, hit him head-on with a Tackle! Give it everything you've got, then Absorb!" Silver said quickly as Voltorb charged in again. Shroomish obediently launched in to meet Voltorb's attack, and the two collided with a loud thud, sending both reeling. However, Shroomish managed to pull himself together and hit Voltorb with lightning of his own, sapping away his energy to replenish the health he had already lost.

"Voltorb, Shockwave!" Wattson ordered, but the power of the Stun Spore compounded with the Absorb had Paralysed Voltorb into immobility as his health slowly drained away.

"Yes! Shroomish, keep it going! We can do this!" Silver said happily, punching the air despite himself. Shroomish appeared to ignore him, but the amount of effort he put into his Absorb testified to his tenacity and determination. Unfortunately for the two of them, Wattson wasn't a Gym Leader for nothing.

"Voltorb, Selfdestruct!" he cried, and Voltorb shook off the Paralysis momentarily, building up the energy for an incredibly destructive move. Before Silver could warn Shroomish to get away, Voltorb exploded, and the battle-field was lit up with the detonation. Smoke clouded the two battlers for a moment before revealing a black, scorched area of ground, upon which rested two equally scorched and unconscious Pokemon. "Voltorb, return. Brilliant work," Wattson said.

"Shroomish, come back. You were good, it was my fault you fainted," Silver said, his voice shaking. Now things were about to get really hairy; he had two Pokemon left, whilst Wattson had three. Then he remembered just how strong his Pokemon were, and how they depended on him to be a good, level-headed Trainer. "OK, Combusken, let's go. We'll have to really concentrate here if we want to have a chance at victory, right?"

"Combusken," Combusken said gravely, and for once Silver shared his grim visage.

"Magneton, I choose you!" Wattson said in a booming voice, and the familiar magnet Pokemon floated over the battle-field, crackling with barely-suppressed energy. Completely unexpectedly, it seemed that Combusken actually had the advantage, being doubly effective against Steel types with his Fire and Fighting characteristics. On top of that, Silver now knew to expect Electrike and Manectric... if he defeated Magneton, of course. What exactly Electrike and Manectric were was for the Pokedex to ascertain, so he did his best to forget about them completely and focus on his hovering opponent.

"OK, Combusken, start off with an Ember! We need to wrap this up quickly," Silver ordered, and Combusken prepared to breathe fire at Magneton.

"Magneton, Sonicboom!" Wattson countered, and Magneton kept the fire at bay with a blast of electrically-charged wind that buffeted and crackled like a living thing. "Now, Supersonic!"

"Combusken, quickly! Get in there with a Double Kick!" Silver said, and Combusken bounded forwards through the sonic waves, landing two powerful blows to Magneton's three heads before landing near-perfectly, clutching his head and trying to get the ringing out of his ears. Magneton himself floated around, disoriented and dangerously close to the ground as he tried to recuperate himself. "Good work, buddy! Are you alright?"

"Combusken," Combusken nodded, straightening up, and stood facing Magneton unflinchingly.

"Magneton, it looks like Combusken's going to be a challenge!" Wattson boomed. "Let's Paralyse him with a Thunder Wave!" Magneton blasted several bolts of lightning towards Combusken, hoping to use the electricity to freeze up the Fire Pokemon's formidable leg muscles.

"Combusken, jump!" Silver commanded, and Combusken leapt up above the electrical blasts, somersaulting over Magneton and landing behind the Electric Pokemon; a perfect position to attack. "Ember!" Combusken spat a stream of fire at Magneton, making the creature crackle with pain as it was pushed forwards by the burning, super-effective attack.

"Magneton, Shockwave! That'll hit him, I'm sure of that!" Magneton summoned up another bolt of electricity, and Silver knew it was impossible to dodge, so he concentrated on defence.

"Combusken, Focus Energy! Work through it!" he encouraged, and Combusken stood there, beak gritted and eyes closed, as the bolt of lightning struck him. Eventually, he twitched and braced his arms in readiness, dissipating the attack and shaking off its effects. It had done its damage, but it hadn't rattled Combusken as Wattson had certainly hoped for. The Fire Pokemon was now also powered up and ready for action.

"Magneton, Shockwave again! Focus Energy doesn't prevent damage, you know," the Gym Leader tutted, waving his finger admonishingly at Silver, but the boy ignored him.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" he cried, and Combusken leapt forwards. He was struck and engulfed by the Shockwave mid-leap, but the Focus Energy and his own incredible determination allowed him to keep his jump going, pushing further and further towards Magneton before grabbing him and dragging him down to earth with his waning strength. As Magneton floated up again, disentangling himself from Combusken and shaking himself down, Combusken darted into action, landing a flurry of kicks whilst the Electric Pokemon was in prime position. Magneton's eyes grew more and more hazy as the kicks struck over and over again, Combusken picking his spots with a trained eye and using all the muscle at his disposal to batter his helpless opponent. Just as the Fire Pokemon was getting into his stride, his kicks so fast and powerful they were practically invisible to Silver, Wattson ordered,

"Magneton, up! Get away, then use Thunder Wave!" Magneton summoned the last of his strength and hurtled upwards, taking his usual height and making his magnets throb with energy.

"Dodge it!" Silver said, and Combusken exhibited a perfect and quite incredible back-flip that carried him several feet up into the air, the Thunder Wave passing harmlessly beneath him. "Excellent! Now, Ember!"

"Sonicboom!" Wattson bellowed at almost exactly the same time, and another stand-off crackled above the field, flame versus wind. When both died down, both Trainers allowed their Pokemon some breathing time. Both Combusken and Magneton were flagging, but luckily Combusken had gotten in some damaging hits, and the end couldn't be far off. However, the Young Fowl Pokemon had suffered his fair share of damage too, and Silver wasn't going to get complacent. Thinking about having only Nincada left made him nervous, so he tried to wipe his mind blank of the fact and concentrate on Combusken, his best chance for victory. Eventually, he decided to break the deadlock.

"Combusken, Double Kick!"

"Magneton, Supersonic!" Wattson said immediately, and Magneton bathed Combusken in sonic rays before the Fire Pokemon could jump. Combusken's eyes grew unfocused and he staggered around, confused, as the Supersonic overpowered him. "Now, Thunder Wave!" If Combusken got both confused and Paralysed, he was all but doomed.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" he cried desperately, a gamble if there ever was one, but this wasn't the time for safe and conservative moves. Combusken looked up, his mouth hanging open slightly, and Silver couldn't bear to watch. However, at the last moment, the Fire Pokemon twitched to the side; Magneton had gotten complacent and hadn't banked on resistance, so Combusken was allowed a crucial split-second in which to act. As the Thunder Wave sputtered into nonexistence behind him, he bounded upwards and twisted in mid-air, swinging his whole lower body around for a true Double Kick, both of his clawed feet hammering Magneton at the same time. Magneton clattered to the floor with a loud clang, his eyes closed as he emitted a sound similar to static to signify his surrender. "Combusken, incredible! We're level now; are you OK to continue?" Silver asked. If he wasn't, the battle would be all but over, but luckily the plucky Combusken nodded, breathing heavily and closing his eyes almost in meditation to prepare for another bout or two.

"Electrike, go! Let's see if you can evolve, shall we?" Wattson said with a loud laugh, letting loose a green and yellow dog-like creature which similarly throbbed with static electricity. The Pokedex showed that it was Electrike, the Lightning Pokemon, who used friction to power up the static electricity in his fur, with which he launched powerful attacks. Snapping shut the device, which hadn't really told him anything he couldn't have worked out for himself, he psyched himself up for the battle. Electrike was the pre-evolution of Manetric, and thus it wouldn't be as powerful. That hopefully meant that he would be able to dispose of the creature without breaking too much of a sweat and move onto his stronger evolution, but he knew that was a slim chance.

"Combusken, are you ready to go?" he asked, and Combusken nodded again, straightening up and staring directly at Electrike.

"Electrike, Combusken's weakened. Getting rid of him will leave us two up against Silver's last Pokemon," Wattson said, and Electrike hissed his assent. Silver smiled inwardly; Wattson was underestimating Combusken's endurance and determination. That meant, with a bit of luck and Combusken's skill, he could hit Electrike straight away with a powerful, unexpected strike.

"Combusken, Ember!" Combusken darted forwards and pushed Electrike back with a stream of fire, making the creature squeal with pain as his fur sizzled.

"Electrike, Quick Attack!" Electrike dodged away from the Ember and lanced in for a tackle that knocked Combusken off his feet, a silver trail glowing behind the Electric Pokemon as he used what used to be one of Silver's favoured tactics. "Hit him with Leer! That'll really shake him up!" Electrike raised his hackles and snarled at Combusken, rearing above him and trying to instil fear into his heart. As Silver had hoped, it was a futile exercise, an exercise which he hoped they would pay dearly for.

"Combusken, Scratch!" Combusken swept his arm around quickly, slashing Electrike across the cheek and forcing him to stumble backwards, humbled and yelping.

"Use Howl!" Wattson ordered, and Electrike raised his head to the heavens, emitting a cry that refortified him and focused his mind on the battle.

"Hit him with a Double Kick!" Silver said, hoping to rattle the Lightning Pokemon again, and Combusken hurtled forwards, bringing his foot down directly on the top of Electrike's head, then kicking him straight to the snout, pushing him back and stunning him at the same time. "Keep it up with Ember!" Electrike was once again on the run as fire swirled around him, making him shift and squeal in discomfort, looking for a way out.

"Electrike, counter it with Shockwave! Use the static from the hot air created by that Ember!" Wattson said, and as the lightning bolt beat back the fire, Silver knew he was facing a man who knew his Pokemon. "Keep going! Drain Combusken's battery!" the Gym Leader said with a chortle, and Combusken was zapped by a well-aimed lightning bolt that forced him to his knees.

"Combusken, please! Please get up!" Silver pleaded, wiping his brow with a shaking hand. Combusken painstakingly got back to his feet, working on sheer courage alone as his health was all but gone. He was shaking worryingly, and breathing heavily, but he was up. And whilst he was up, he could fight. Whilst he could fight, he could win. "Double Kick! Hit him as hard as you can!"

"Electrike, Quick Attack!" Wattson ordered, and the two Pokemon collided much as Shroomish and Voltorb had done earlier, Combusken's feet meeting with Electrike's head as the Electric Pokemon charged into battle. After what seemed like a second of struggling against each other in mid-air, Electrike was the one thrown backwards, landing on his side as his eyes rolled and his mouth hung open weakly. However, Combusken had been hurt by the Quick Attack, and what was more he somehow seemed Paralysed, his muscles twitching painfully. "Wahahahaha! I knew that would happen eventually! Static ability, that's called. Sometimes your physical attacks can result in your own Paralysis. Electrike, come back. You weakened up Combusken nicely for... Manectric!" A larger, blue and yellow hound took Electrike's place, looking exceptionally healthy and ready for battle when compared with the near-defeated Combusken he opposed.

"Combusken, just do your best. You were astoundingly good out there, and there's absolutely no shame in getting beaten now," Silver said softly, knowing Combusken didn't stand a chance against his well-rested foe whilst so badly damaged and Paralysed.

"Manectric, Shockwave! Hit him with all the power you can!"

"Combusken, Double Kick!" Silver hoped to capitalise on the extra time needed to power up Manectric's killer Shockwave, but as Combusken rose, he stopped still, gritting his beak and trying desperately to lift a leg that just wasn't responding. Silver recalled Combusken as soon as the lightning bolt hit, seeing that the Pokemon had no chance of surviving it and having no wish to see him in pain. "Oh boy. Oh boy.... Nincada, come on. This is it. You win here, you'll evolve, no question. Manectric's a powerful foe. Think you're up to it?" Silver placed the Bug Pokemon down on the ground, taking off his Macho Brace with difficulty and only remembering now that he had a Docile temperament. Nincada squeaked uncertainly.

"This shouldn't be too tough, eh, Manectric? Power up another Shockwave. By the look of him, and the look on his Trainer's face, he doesn't know many powerful moves. Take your time," Wattson said, once again showing his eccentricity in underestimating a foe that seemed weak. But Silver was galvanised; as Manectric was taking time to power up a Shockwave that wouldn't do anything, he had ample time to think up a tactic that would somehow result in Nincada victorious. As Nincada hadn't lost any health yet, it seemed pointless to use Leech Life, so Silver ordered,

"Nincada, use Scratch! Hit him as hard as you can!" Nincada scurried fearfully towards Manectric and leapt up as high as he could, slashing Manectric across the snout with one of his foreclaws. However, he didn't stop there; he tentatively launched another Scratch, then another, getting more and more confident as he raked the Electric Pokemon not once as planned but five times. This caught everyone out so much that Manectric actually lost control of his Shockwave, letting it sputter out of existence as he hopped backwards to tend to his wounds.  
"Silver, I think that was Fury Swipes! Nincada used a new attack!" Scott cried excitedly. This, more than anything, brought it home to Silver that they had made progress. Nincada could only learn new moves by getting more powerful or being expressly taught, and Silver couldn't remember tutoring the Bug Pokemon in the intricacies of Fury Swipes. That meant that after all of their hard work, Nincada was getting stronger. Suddenly Silver was feeling more alert and confident; Nincada had a halfway decent attack and was immune to Manectric's powerful same-type moves. This was just like a proper battle now. He cast away all the negative feelings he had about Nincada's training and did his best to look on the creature as a proper battling Pokemon that would carry out any orders and carry them out well.

"That was brilliant, Nincada! Now, hit him with a Sand Attack!" Nincada span around and kicked a cloud of dust up into Manectric's stunned face, irritating his eyes and reducing his accuracy.

"Shockwave never misses! Hit him with a normal bolt!" Wattson said, and this time Manectric wasted no time powering up, merely loosing off a Shockwave straight away.

"Nincada, Fury Swipes! Then Sand Attack again!" Nincada scuttled forwards, ignoring the electricity that pounded him completely, and beat Manectric back with a hail of slashes before spraying dirt in his eyes again. Manectric yelped and scratched at his eyes with his forepaws, trying to clear them of grit, and Nincada looked to Silver for further orders. "Excellent! Let's see what Manectric does next, and see if we can counter it, right?" Nincada squeaked and braced himself for an attack.

"Nincada must be partly a Ground type to shrug off your bolt so easily. Either that, or he's as courageous as that Combusken. Let's see which with a Thunder Wave, Manectric!" Some people would think that Wattson was crazy for attacking again with electricity when Shockwave proved useless, but Silver knew he was just making sure. However, it was another chance to inflict some punishment on the Electric Pokemon, a chance he wasn't going to pass up for the world.

"Nincada, Sand Attack again!" He knew that his best bet was to screw up Manectric's performance whilst Nincada was immune to his blows, thus allowing him to attack with impunity later. Nincada shrugged off the Thunder Wave without blinking and actually hissed aggressively as he kicked up some more dirt into his foe's face.

"Seems he's a Ground type. Well, I didn't just teach Manectric Electric moves, you know! Manectric, Quick Attack!"

"Nincada, jump to the left!" Silver said, and the combination of multiple Sand Attacks and Nincada's dodge successfully made Manectric miss, shooting past the Bug like the lightning he commanded and stumbling as he tried to slow himself down. "Fury Swipes!" Nincada attacked the disoriented Manectric from behind, viciously laying on a barrage of swipes that knocked the Electric Pokemon to the floor. Nincada chattered in victory as he stood above his opponent, although Manectric wasn't finished yet.

"Manectric, he's just to your right! Quick Attack!" Manetric jumped up and charged straight into a tackle, trusting his master's words and being rewarded with a powerful impact between him and the Bug. Nincada was flung backwards by the blow, but got up quickly, ready for battle.

"Now's the time for Leech Life, Nincada!" Silver commanded, and Nincada struck back, sucking Manectric's health away in a thin stream of bright green energy that flowed from his antennae.

"Manectric, Howl!" Manectric broke away from the Leech Life and gave a forlorn howl, seeking to up his concentration to help him claim victory.

"He's on the ropes, buddy! One last Fury Swipes!" Silver said, and Nincada launched himself into the fray, landing on Manectric's back and pounding the back of his head with five quick-fire slashes. The Electric Pokemon's eyes unfocused, focused again, then closed as he staggered around and slumped to the floor. Nincada chattered again, waving his antennae and looking justifiably proud of himself. "Nincada, yes! Brilliant! I've never seen you so powerful!" Silver ran over and scooped up Nincada happily, punching the air like a certain Tyrogue he once knew.

"Magnificent! You were just as brave as Combusken, as never-say-die as Corphish, and as dedicated and focused as Shroomish. I've never quite seen the like," Scott said, shaking Nincada's claw in congratulations and beaming.

"Wahahahaha! Nincada there gave me quite a thrill, I must say! Here's your Dynamobadge, Silver!" Wattson walked over and handed Silver a shiny new badge, which he happily clipped on next to his Knucklebadge. Three Gyms down, five to go! He was nearly halfway through his Hoenn journey already!

"Thanks, Wattson! Sorry I didn't make your Electrike evolve... It looks like the next challenger will have just as tough a time as me against you,"

"If they do, they do. I'm not like other Gym Leaders; sometimes I give out badges even if Trainers lose, as long as they do their best. I think you were heading down that road,"

"What?! So I could've lost, and you still would've given me a badge? I tried really hard for nothing," Silver said, put out.

"Not true. This way, you officially beat me, so you got the badge the by-the-book way. Come now, don't look so down! Wahahahaha!" Wattson said, clapping Silver on the shoulder and bellowing with laughter. Silver made an effort to smile just to be free of the corpulent man.

"Bye, Wattson. Thanks for the battle," he said, and pried himself free, making for the door as fast as possible.

"I think I'll be hearing good things about you, boy! You and Emerald are a pair of Trainers to look out for, that's for sure!" Wattson replied. As Silver, Scott, Nincada and Hypno walked slowly back to the Pokemon, Silver savouring his hard-won victory, they admired his new badge. Silver knew now that it wasn't what Pokemon you used, but how you used them. He treated Nincada like a proper battler rather than a trainee in his fight with Manectric, and Nincada had behaved accordingly.

"Three badges already! I wonder if there's anyone who can stop your conquest," Scott joked.

"Hopefully not. Maybe I'll become the Champion here! Then, when I beat Red in a rematch, I'll be Champion of Kanto and Johto, too!" Silver replied enthusiastically.

"Reach for the stars, that's what I always say. Good luck to you," Scott said warmly. Thinking of rash Corphish, the serious Combusken, the still-unevolved Nincada and the trek that lay ahead, Silver replied,

"Good luck to us all. We'll certainly need it,"


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 18**

Silver was treating Nincada to an extra-large meal in the Pokemon Centre after his amazing victory over Wattson, and the rest of his tired Pokemon were also joining in enthusiastically before the Bug ate it all. Silver himself, alone with his Pokemon as Scott had disappeared once again, was also enjoying a lunch which he felt was particularly well-earned, and thus tasted twice as nice as it usually would. Now that he had the Electric Gym of Hoenn out of the way, he believed that the rest wouldn't exactly be smooth sailing, but they wouldn't be as nerve-fraying as this one had been. If any were, he didn't bank on surviving the journey. Now, according to the Pokenav, he would have to travel north to Fallarbor Town, from which he could get a cable-car up to the Jagged Pass. After a short journey down Jagged Pass, he would reach Lavaridge Town, where the next Gym was. Any other day, such a trek would be daunting, but not today.

"We'll set out as soon as you're ready, guys. No hurry, though; take your time," he said lazily, leaning back on his chair.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried through a mouthful of food, waving his pincers happily and intimating he wanted to leave immediately.

"Combusken," Combusken said, smiling and raising a hand to show that any time was fine with him. Shroomish made a similar gesture, but without the raised arm of course, whereas Nincada was so focused on eating he didn't even hear the question.

"Take it easy, Corphish. We just won a battle, for goodness sake!" Silver said as Corphish sidled over, pulling at his bag to try and spur him into motion. "We'll go when Nincada's finished eating, OK? Finished eating this particular plate, I mean; otherwise we'll be here all day," Silver continued as Nincada licked the crumbs off his current plate, leaving it cleaner than a dishwasher could ever get it. "Fine, Corphish, fine! We'll go already! Everyone, get up, because Corphish wants to leave," Silver fumed as Corphish continued to tug on his bag. "Nincada, if I look around and you're asleep, someone's going to die," He turned and gazed down at Nincada, but instead was forced to cover his eyes from a blinding white light. "What the...?" Suddenly, completely out of the blue, there was some sort of hard-shelled brown pupae lying on the ground in Nincada's place. "Behold the wondrous mystery of evolution," Silver eventually said ironically when the pupae didn't move an inch. "Let's see what the Pokedex has to... aargh!" he stumbled backwards as he withdrew the Pokedex, watching the pupae wriggle and emit some quite alarming cracking and rustling noises before an entirely new creature ripped its way free, leaving behind an old empty shell that still retained features of the new arrival.

"_Ninjask. The Ninja Pokemon. Because it darts around vigorously at high speed, it is very difficult to see. Hearing its distinctive cries for too long induces a headache._" the Pokedex said knowledgably.

"Great. It'll be just like having Emerald with me again. How are you Ninjask? Only you could have evolved by eating rather than training,"

"Ninjask!" Ninjask hissed, darting around incredibly fast to test his new wings.

"So, do you..." Silver started, but was interrupted as the Pokedex started talking again, even though it was pointed at the ground.

"_Shedinja. The Shed Pokemon. A peculiar Pokemon that floats in air even though its wings remain completely still. The inside of its body is hollow and dark._"

"Geez, I've only had it about a week, and it's already broken," Silver said, snapping the device shut ruefully, before Corphish tugged at his bag again. "We're going in a minute, Corphish! Just let Ninjask... huh? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Silver looked down at Corphish with concern, before following his eye-line and going white himself. Ninjask's shed shell had seemingly taken on a life of its own, floating upwards at about head height but otherwise remaining completely still. It even had a halo of some sort that had seemingly come from nowhere. "That must be the Shedinja the Pokedex was talking about. Just back away slowly... no sudden movements..." Silver and his Pokemon gradually retreated from the floating shell, but just when they thought they were safe Shedinja drifted into action, hovering along behind them and looking like some sort of bizarre balloon.

"Ninjask!" Ninjask suddenly hissed, darting in and conversing with Shedinja. The creature made no reply, but seemingly something was coming out of the conversation, as all of Silver's Pokemon were listening intently, nodding once or twice despite the seeming silence. Silver crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently as the silence continued, but Corphish nipped his leg to quiet him down.

"Hey! You can talk, you were all for leaving a few minutes ago," Silver said angrily, but Corphish waved a claw in a gesture that clearly said 'be quiet', focusing completely on Shedinja. Suddenly, all the Pokemon turned to look at Silver, smiling happily as if everything had been solved. "Let's see... Shroomish, I trust your opinion. Is Shedinja OK?" Silver asked anxiously, seeking a reply that wouldn't just be a nod or another nip from a pincer.

"Shroomish. Shroomish Shroomish," Shroomish said, nodding vigorously and indicating both Ninjask and Shedinja.

"So... Ninjask and Shedinja used to be the same Pokemon? But now they're completely different beings?" Silver said, hesitantly interpreting Shroomish's words and gestures. Shroomish nodded and smiled. "So Shedinja's just one of the guys now, I guess. Well... he would be, if he were staying. How are you, Shedinja? Where are you going to fit in this whole 'evolve, fly back and beat up Poochyena' plan?" Silver asked the shell directly, referring to Nincada's original purpose in coming with him to train. Shedinja neither said a word nor moved a muscle, but somehow Silver got a feeling he knew what the Pokemon was thinking; Shedinja would come with him as Nincada had done, as a protector and a friend. According to the extra notes provided by the Pokedex, Shedinja was a dual Bug and Ghost type, and had the fantastic ability of Wonder Guard, which protected him completely from all non-super-effective damage, be it a Scratch attack or a Hyper Beam. It also said Shedinja as a species were very protective of their kin and Trainers, which he guessed was why Shedinja wanted to come along with him. "Great. It'll be a pleasure having you along. What about you, Ninjask? You're in your prime now, and Poochyena won't stand a chance. Ready to track him down and win back the colony?" he asked, trying to galvanise the creature, and was rewarded with a fierce buzzing and clicking that he presumed meant 'yes'.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily.

"Combusken," Combusken said, pledging his support to the Bug.

"Shroomish!" Shroomish said in a satisfied voice, deciding that the matter was settled. Suddenly, Silver began to think about it in terms of his quest. He would have to go all the way back to Rustboro City to find the rogue Poochyena again, then trek back to Mauville just to get started on his fourth badge journey. Rustboro was a long way away... but then he remembered something Wally had said. There was a tunnel being built called the Rusturf Tunnel, which linked Rustboro City and Verdanturf Town for reasons Silver couldn't remember. Perhaps they could help out with the digging; it was almost complete, apparently, with just some particularly stubborn rocks blocking the way.

"I've just had a plan, guys. We're going to help complete the Rusturf Tunnel, then we can get back here quickly and easily, with no sea voyages at all. If all goes well, you'll be back with the colony in no time, Ninjask," Silver said. The Pokemon blinked up at him blankly, and he wished Tyrogue or even Wobbuffet had been there to provide some remark and/or air-punch. "Corphish, show me some emotion, please. We'll be smashing things..." he said tantalisingly.

"Corphish?" Corphish said, tilting his head wonderingly, and Silver slapped his forehead before turning on his heel and leaving, letting the Pokemon follow as they wished. The walk to Verdanturf Town didn't take as long this time, as it was cloudy overhead and they sped up to avoid a soaking, but the fresh air still hit them like spray of perfume as they approached.

"Ah... Now _that's_ air fit for a king. Breathe it in deep, guys. Hopefully it'll make us all big and strong," Silver sighed happily, marching on towards the Rusturf Tunnel with new heart. Ninjask was darting around happily, smelling all the fragrant flowers and skimming the top of the tall grass with his scythes, veritably invisible in his quickness. In complete contrast was Shedinja, hovering close by to Silver's head like a talisman and not even twitching once. Verdanturf was just as beautiful as Silver remembered it from, well, yesterday and he wondered whether he should drop in on Wally to show him his shiny new Dynamobadge. "We're going to see Wally first, guys. The tunnelling can come later," Silver said calmly, the air having erased his annoyance, but frustration came flooding back as all of the Pokemon looked disappointed.

"Corphish," the Water Pokemon even said sadly, hanging his head.

"There's just no pleasing you, is there?" Silver muttered, shaking his head as he strolled up the street towards Wally's house. "Hello? Is anyone home?" he called jovially, knocking on the door.

"Silver, it's you! Back already?" Wally joked, opening the door and seeing his friend.

"Yep, but with one important addition," he said, indicating his badge.

"And a Shedinja," Wally said approvingly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about him... Anyway, we're off to help clear the Rusturf Tunnel, if you want to come along. Ralts too, obviously," he added, pointing to the Psychic Pokemon sat on Wally's shoulder.

"On the way, you can tell me all about your Gym battle," Wally said, stepping out the door and shutting it behind him. "Who's the Gym Leader again? Wattson? I've heard he's a bit of an eccentric,"

"You don't know the half of it," Silver said resignedly, and the mismatched group ambled over to the Rusturf Tunnel. It was similar in the Verdanturf end to the Rustboro end; lit from an unknown source, rocky and full of Whismur. Corphish was recalled into his Pokeball on seeing the latter, remembering his misdemeanours from before where he attacked a Whismur which resultantly almost destroyed Silver's eardrums. They soon reached the wall of boulders that divided the two cities from each other, and were temporarily stymied by the sheer bulk and mass of it.

"So how are we going to do this?" Wally asked, coughing some dust out of his mouth and waving away Silver's worried expression. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just dust. Shall I get Ralts to use Confusion on the boulders?"

"Good idea. Corphish, you can carry boulders away in your claws. Use Vicegrip when necessary to dislodge stuck ones. Combusken, Double Kick 'em all. Shroomish, we'd better allocate you to the smaller rocks. Shedinja, you can be our mascot, I don't think you've quite got the physique to lift heavy boulders. Ninjask, can you help clear away the rubble that Combusken creates? And stay close to Wally to blow that dust away from him with your wings," Ninjask only took a split-second to find his way over to Wally, a dual fan and labourer. "Great! If everyone can work as quickly as Ninjask, we'll be done in no time," Silver said enthusiastically. An hour or two later, his enthusiasm had hit rock bottom. With every boulder they destroyed or removed, several dozen others fell in to take their place. It seemed as if their progress was nonexistent until Combusken hammered yet another rock with a square kick, making it crack and crumble, making a chink of light shimmer through. "Hey! A hole! Combusken, well done!" Silver enthused.

"Combusken," Combusken smiled at him solidly.

"Ralts, focus your Confusion there, please. Try and make it bigger," Wally asked.

"Ralts!" Ralts whispered, and she glowed with a blue aura, lifting surrounding rocks away with sheer Psychic power.

"Corphish, Combusken, keep plugging away! We're almost there! Shroomish and Ninjask, get ready to clear away some more rubble," Silver encouraged them, and the Pokemon took new heart. In what seemed like no time at all compared with how long it had taken to make one small hole, the rest of the tunnel had been cleared away, with only small lumps of rubble decorating the surrounding terrain. Several Whismur from the other side were clustering curiously around the breach, feeling the new air flow through and moving forwards to see what had happened to their beloved tunnel. Corphish had to be physically restrained by Silver to stop him attacking another Whismur in curiosity whilst Wally punched the air happily.

"Yes! We did it, and in a way that didn't harm the natives!" he said, and Ralts snuggled up to him happily in celebration.

"Ready, Ninjask? Almost time," Silver said, and Ninjask buzzed happily.

"I think I'll have to go back. I'm probably not allowed in here as it is, but Rustboro's definitely off-limits. Besides, I'm starting to feel a little light-headed. See you, Silver. We'll always be best friends, right?"

"Right. Thanks for your help. You too, Ralts," Silver smiled, waving to them, and Ralts waved back happily as Wally left via the Verdanturf entrance. "Well, everyone, time to take a trip down memory lane. You were still Torchic last time we were here, Combusken. We hadn't even met, Shedinja," Silver said as they walked slowly down the tunnel, admiring the view and restraining the Ruffian Pokemon at the same time. It didn't take them long to emerge in the same surroundings in which they first met Nincada; an average piece of ordinary countryside to most people, but also the home of a certain colony and its Poochyena foe. "What does it feel like to be home, Ninjask?"

"Ninjask!" Ninjask said, buzzing around agitatedly as he searched for any sign of his foe. Suddenly, there was a growling from the right; Poochyena emerged from a bush, his hackles raised as he focused solely on Ninjask. He had evidently used his fantastic sense of smell to identify and close in on the creature he had beaten up only several days ago. It seemed liked years to Silver, now that he thought about it, but all sense of nostalgia left as the two foes squared up. The Bug Pokemon and his Dark opponent hissed and snarled at each other, evidently having some sort of conversation or argument before falling silent. The Nincada colony were clustered around the entrances to their burrows, watching the scene unfold the same as Silver and his Pokemon. Suddenly, there was a blur of motion as both combatants launched into an attack. Poochyena's Tackle was cut short and the creature looked around helplessly, surrounded by Ninjasks as his foe pulled off a perfect Double Team. Before Poochyena could even think about mustering a defence, all of the Ninjasks darted in, and the real one came from behind and delivered a powerful Slash to the back of Poochyena's head. The creature yelped and looked around, but saw only the dozen or so Ninjask images within which the real one hid. The bullying beast got his comeuppance in front of everyone as Ninjask darted in for more and more blows, striking like a thunderbolt before melting away like a ninja. Poochyena howled forlornly as Ninjask sped in faster and faster, buzzing around and seeming like a teleporter as he attacked from every direction at once. The Double Team images soon faded away, unneeded, as Ninjask completely disappeared from view; however, his presence was obviously felt as he struck and moved on before Poochyena could feel the blow. Finally, Ninjask stopped moving, reappearing just in time to send Poochyena flying with a precision Slash attack. The puppy-like creature dragged itself away, humbled, battered and bruised, as the Nincada colony scuttled out to welcome back their hero.

"Ninjask!" Ninjask hissed victoriously, waving his scythes after Poochyena as his fellows crowded around him.

"Ninjask, that was incredible! I've never seen such speed!" Silver said, moving forwards towards Ninjask, but the Nincadas blocked his path, chattering aggressively. However, Shedinja floated down, and immediately the Bugs bowed and cowered as if Shedinja was some sort of sacred being. The Shed Pokemon obviously communicated with them somehow, because they obediently parted and allowed Silver up close to say a goodbye. "Ninjask... I never know what to say at times like this. It only took a few long days of intense training, eating and defeating an official Gym Leader to make you evolve. If it's that easy for everyone, I'm set, aren't I?" he joked, and Ninjask chattered happily. "It was good having you with me. Your Macho Brace will live on as a particularly weird souvenir of our friendship. I can call us friends, right?"

"Ninjask!" Ninjask cried, looping his scythes delicately around Silver's neck in an embrace.

"Good luck leading your colony. You deserve leadership after that thrashing, anyway. Just promise to protect the little guys, right? And remember me if I come to visit. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of that Slash attack after you mistake me for an intruder, I can tell you,"

"Ninjask," Ninjask replied seriously, as if saying he would never forget his friend and his kindness.

"Corphish!" Corphish suddenly piped up, waving around his pincers impatiently, and the rest of the Pokemon took their chance to say their goodbyes to the Bug Pokemon. Shedinja took the time to impart some sort of message to the colony, and a particularly long one to his 'creator' Ninjask, before floating over to Silver again. Silver understood now that as well as being protective, having Shedinja go along was Ninjask's way of ensuring his friend's good health. A particularly unusual goodwill gift, if you like.

"See you, Ninjask. Good luck again," Silver said, and made for the Rusturf Tunnel after waving to the Bug Pokemon one last time. As they walked, the grass and bushes seemed to shimmer with life, as well as a rustling, clicking song; Ninjask's song. He was moving too quickly for the eye to follow, but the shine of his shell made the entire landscape glitter as he appeared everywhere at once. "Goodbye, Ninjask. Thank you for helping me beat Wattson, I couldn't have done it without you. And before we part for a while, thanks for just being a friend,"


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 19**

Silver felt odd as he progressed up the route north of Mauville, towards his next destination; there was no Nincada there in his arms or bag, no sleeping or eating Bug to be a peaceful counterpoint to the other personalities in his squad. All he had now was Shedinja, who was so devoid of any personality that Silver wouldn't have even noticed if he disappeared too. His next destination was Fallarbor Town, which, according to the Pokenav, had absolutely nothing of interest in. However, it did provide a chairlift service to the top of Jagged Pass, which was the easiest way of getting to Lavaridge Town and his fourth Gym battle. His plan was to cut short the path to Fallarbor Town by traversing over some sort of desert, which took out a lot of the journey time. Besides, there was apparently nothing of interest on the way to Fallarbor, either. Perhaps for once he was destined for a quiet journey.

"Hey! You, over there!" a female voice suddenly cried, and Silver's heart sank as that illusion was irreparably shattered. Approaching him was a tall woman with short black hair and a light blue top, holding what seemed to be a microphone. Trailing her was a chubby guy holding an expensive-looking camera. "Hi! I'm Gabby, this is my assistant Ty," the woman said, extending a hand which Silver gingerly shook as he nodded at Ty nervously. "Judging by those badges, those Pokeballs and that fine Shedinja, you're a Pokemon Trainer, correct?"

"Yep, that's right," Silver replied.

"Excellent! We're reporters who are on the lookout for powerful Trainers for our TV show, Bravo Trainer Time. Would you consent to do battle with us? It could be shown on TV all over Hoenn," Gabby asked enticingly.

"Bravo Trainer Time? OK... Well, if you really need some footage for your show, I'd be happy to battle you," Silver said uncomfortably, wracking his brains as he wondered whether or not he had ever heard of the show.

"Great! First I'll need your name, and town of origin..."

"I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. So what rules are we having?"

"It'll be a two-on-two match-up, OK? Whismur, I choose you!" Gabby released a small purple creature that looked deceptively timid.

"Magnemite, come out!" Ty said, clumsily setting free a hovering magnet creature that crackled with static, struggling to hold onto his camera at the same time.

"Two on two? This could be a worthwhile practice session after all. Hmm... Combusken, go! You're effective against both of them, so just do your best and they won't stand a chance. Shroomish, you haven't had much chance for a workout for a while, so I choose you too!" Silver released Combusken and Shroomish, who stood beside each other in a battle position.

"Silver, from Littleroot Town, has chosen Combusken and Shroomish for a type advantage. A solid tactic, but will it be enough?" Gabby said, looking into the camera, and Silver did his best to tune her commentary out and focus on her and Ty's orders. "Whismur, use Growl!"

"Magnemite, Tackle!" Whismur issued a loud snarl that tried to intimidate Silver's Pokemon into immobility as Magnemite charged towards them.

"Combusken, Ember Magnemite! Shroomish, use Stun Spore on Whismur!" Magnemite's charge was halted by a blast of fire from Combusken's beak, and the Electric Pokemon fizzled with distress as he got pushed backwards helplessly by the torrent. Whismur, on the other hand, was coated with orange spores that rooted him in place, compliments of Shroomish. "Yes! Great work, guys! Combusken, Double Kick Magnemite down onto Whismur! Shroomish, keep Whismur in place with an Absorb!" Whismur squeaked with pain, but as his energy was sucked away by green bolts he found himself helpless to move his Paralysed limbs; a perfect target. Combusken battered Magnemite with a powerful kick that sent him careening into the Normal Pokemon, knocking Whismur out for the count. Magnemite struggled to rise, but Combusken's second kick put paid to that idea.

"Wow! That was one heck of an exhibition!" Gabby cried enthusiastically, recalling Whismur without even looking at it and striding over to Silver, shoving the microphone in his face. "Can we have a few choice words to describe that battle from the irrevocable winner?"

"Er... well... I thought I did OK," Silver said, embarrassed, and he scratched the back of his head distractedly.

"A modest statement from such a powerhouse. I'm sure you'll do well in future," Gabby said, then turned back to the camera. "We were so badly beaten up and tossed aside, I think we've both lost confidence in our abilities as Trainers! But seriously, I would recommend that confident Trainers challenge Silver, and only then if they're prepared for the battle of a lifetime. That's a wrap, Ty!" Ty flashed her a thumbs-up and switched off the camera.

"Great work, Gabby! We got some fantastic footage there. Well, kid, when you're next somewhere that has a TV, look out for us. Your face might be spread all over the screen!"

"Right. Thanks for the battle, anyway, and I hope your show's a success," Silver replied, and walked off, returning Combusken and Shroomish on the way. "Why do I always have to attract the weirdos? Do I give out some sort of scent? Or is there a sign on my back, or something?" he muttered to Shedinja, who predictably gave no reply. "Wait a minute... I think I see the desert ahead! Let's get going, Fallarbor Town can't be far away!" Silver said, spotting unfamiliar terrain up ahead, and he sped up, invigorated once more. As he reached the outskirts of the wasteland, however, he was buffeted back by a swirling sandstorm. Covering his eyes and spitting it out of his mouth, he stumbled backwards to a safe distance. It seemed as if the whole desert was covered in one huge sandstorm that whipped up grains of dust and churned them up into a great ravaging beast that could blind anyone who wasn't wearing some sort of protective goggles. "Oh no... Looks like this path has been cut off. And look, the Pokenav says the only route is west, where it'll take about twice as long to get to Fallarbor. Just my luck..." Silver muttered, shaking sand from his hair and clothes and stomping off down the route the Pokenav suggested. Some time later, when he was still finding sand in places he never knew he had, he spotted a small house by the roadside. Remembering the Trick House, he made to walk straight past, but was called back again by a man's voice this time.

"Excuse me! Are you a Pokemon Trainer by any chance?" Silver sighed and walked over to the man, who was standing in the doorway. The man was quite portly, and was wearing a hat shaped like a Pikachu.

"Yes, I'm a Trainer. I only do one TV appearance a day, so..."

"TV appearance? No, I'm Victor Winstrate. I wondered if you'd like to challenge my family to a battle, one after the other? You get a prize if you win,"

"Er... what sort of prize, may I ask? Goggles of some kind?" Silver asked hopefully, perking up.

"Well... no. You'll have to beat all of us first to see what it is. But I assure you, it'll help you train," Victor said.

"I could probably do with some help, to be honest. OK, let's do it. I'll challenge your family," Silver relented. "By the way, my name's Silver," What would the prize be, he wondered? Some sort of special food, or equipment? He could only guess.

"I'll go first, then. Taillow, I choose you!" A small swallow-like creature appeared, flapping its wings and resting lightly on the ground.

"Taillow? That's a Flying and Normal type, like Noctowl. Hmm... Go on then, Corphish. You're the only one who doesn't have a disadvantage,"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, clashing his pincers eagerly.

"Taillow, Peck!" Victor ordered, and Taillow swooped in to hammer Corphish with a volley of blows.

"Corphish, Harden!" Silver parried, and Taillow's beak bounced off Corphish's shell as a bright sheen spread across its surface. "Now, Vicegrip, whilst he's up close!" Corphish's claw sped up and gripped Taillow's tail tightly. Taillow twittered in pain and tried to fly upwards, but it was a doomed enterprise when faced with the tenacity of his foe.

"Taillow, Growl!" Victor said, and Taillow hissed as Corphish, surprising him and loosening his Vicegrip.

"Taillow's on the ropes, Corphish! Hit him with a good old-fashioned Bubble," Silver said, and before Taillow could fly out of range he was bludgeoned out of the sky by a volley of bubbles.

"Taillow, return. This looks like a job for my wife, Victoria; she's far stronger than me," Victor said ruefully, recalling Taillow and walking through the door into his house, leaving Silver waiting outside.

"Good one, Corphish. You took him down with no trouble at all," Silver said, and Corphish clashed his pincers in readiness for his next duel. Eventually, a similarly portly woman appeared in the doorway, holding a handbag shaped vaguely like some sort of whale-like Pokemon.

"Good afternoon, I'm Victoria Winstrate. Shall we get going?" she said jovially, and Silver nodded. "Roselia, I choose you!" A humanoid creature with roses for hands and thin, thorny arms landed gracefully on the field.

"Corphish, return. Combusken, it's your turn!" Silver took the chance for another type advantage and released the Fire Pokemon.

"Roselia, Magical Leaf!" Victoria ordered, and Roselia waved her arms, sending out a volley of glowing leaves that lanced towards Combusken.

"Jump, Combusken! Then Ember!" Silver said, and Combusken launched himself upwards; however, before he could hit Roselia with an Ember, the Magical Leaves changed course and struck him in the chest, sending him falling back to the floor and landing painfully on his back. "Sorry, Combusken. I didn't know Magical Leaf was an attack that's impossible to dodge. Ready for more?"

"Combusken!" Combusken said, getting into a fighting stance.

"Roselia, Poison Sting!" Roselia launched a volley of glowing thorns from her arms.

"I know you can dodge this. Same as before, and follow up with a Double Kick!" Combusken leapt upwards, allowing the Poison Stings to fly underneath, and bathed Roselia in a spurt of flames that sent her reeling backwards. Then, landing close by, Combusken hammered the Grass Pokemon with a Double Kick that knocked her off her feet.

"Roselia, Ingrain!" Victoria ordered, and roots spread out from Roselia's back, leeching nutrients from the soil.

"Hit her with another Ember before she can heal too much!" Silver parried, and Roselia emerged from the fiery attack blackened and burned, her roots charred mockeries of what they were only seconds before.

"Roselia, return. Ingrain was a big mistake. Well, Silver, my daughter Vivi is even stronger than me. She'll show you how a Winstrate really battles!" Victoria returned to her house, shaking her head at her easy defeat, and a girl only slightly younger than Silver skipped out to take her place. She had black hair, the same as Silver, and wore a white shirt and a skirt so short that Silver was surprised she was allowed out of the house at all.

"Hi! My name's Vivi. If you beat mum and dad, you must be good, but be warned; I'm even better! Marill, go!" Vivi released a mouse-like creature with blue and white skin which Silver remembered from his Johto days.

"Marill's a Water type, so you'd better come back, Combusken. Shroomish, it's your turn! It looks like everyone will be getting a go," Silver said, releasing Shroomish to replace Combusken.

"Marill, Water Gun!" Vivi cried, and Marill spat out a jet of water that struck Shroomish squarely in the face.

"Work through it, Shroomish! Let's try out a Mega Drain!" Silver said, knowing that Shroomish's increasing level of ability and his proficiency with Absorb would hopefully allow him to pull off the attack. Shroomish shook the water off himself, then blasted Marill with thick green bolts of energy, sucking away his health alarmingly quickly.

"Marill, Defence Curl!" Vivi retorted, and Marill curled up in a ball, hoping to protect itself from its foe as much as possible.

"This is a good time for a Stun Spore, I think," Silver said, and the unmoving Marill was doused in Paralysing spores.

"Marill, no! Try to use Rollout!" Marill was still for a moment, before rolling forwards quickly, slamming into Shroomish and knocking him backwards.

"We'll need to finish this off quickly, Shroomish. Get ready for another Mega Drain," Silver said worriedly, seeing Marill build up more and more momentum. As Marill thundered towards Shroomish once again, the Grass Pokemon blasted it with more draining energy bolts; suddenly, the Water Pokemon unfolded itself and stopped moving, twitching as the Paralysis took effect. Easy prey for Shroomish's Mega Drain in this helpless position, soon the Water Pokemon was being recalled by her Trainer.

"You're nasty! I'm going to get Grandma to teach you a lesson," Vivi pouted, and stomped back inside. An old woman dressed in what looked like ancient robes appeared, looking serene and powerful.

"Welcome to your final challenge, Silver. I am Vicky, second only to Vito in power; my grandson is currently on his way to challenge the Pokemon League,"

"Perhaps I'll meet him someday. I'm headed there myself," Silver joked, and Vicky smiled.

"You may be able to defeat the rest of my family, but Vito is far beyond your abilities. As am I, come to that. Meditite, go!" A meditating Psychic and Fighting Pokemon appeared in its trademark yoga position. He remembered Brawly's Meditite and was instantly on his guard, although if this Meditite had a similarly limited moveset he knew what to do to beat it. "Meditite, Meditate!" Vicky ordered, and Meditite closed its eyes, preparing to power itself up.

"Shroomish, Stun Spore!" Silver commanded, and the Fighting Pokemon was swamped with spores that Paralysed its muscles and messed up its concentration at the same time.

"Meditite, use Confusion!" Shroomish was lifted up by Psychic power, then pummelled by invisible pulses and hurled away as his foe's eyes glowed blue.

"Shroomish, are you alright?" Silver asked, and Shroomish hopped up to his feet in readiness. "Use Mega Drain!" Shroomish started sapping away Meditite's energy and leeching it into himself with brutal, pounding bolts of crackling power.

"Meditite, Confusion!" Vicky retorted, and Shroomish was once again blasted away with a throb of Psychic power.

"He's got to be weakening now, surely. Let's see what a Tackle can accomplish," Shroomish ran in for a head-butt to try and knock Meditite out once and for all.

"Meditite, Detect!" Vicky cried, and at the very last possible second Meditite twitched out of Shroomish's path, rendering his attack useless.

"From behind, Shroomish! Tackle again!" Silver encouraged, and Shroomish turned, slamming into Meditite from behind and knocking him out of his yoga position. Finally, the Psychic Pokemon looked tired and disoriented. "Mega Drain, to finish him off!" The sprawled Meditite was clubbed into unconsciousness by another quick blast of green energy as Shroomish ripped his health away.

"Meditite, return. You are indeed a good Trainer, Silver. You and your Pokemon are shaping up to be a fine team. Let me just go inside to get your prize..." Vicky walked back inside the house, disgruntled, and Silver said,

"Great job, Shroomish. That Mega Drain was really, really good,"

"Shroo... Shroomish?" Shroomish stopped in the middle of an enthusiastic hop, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What's up? Are you feeling alright?" Silver asked, and his question was answered by a flash of white light. Shroomish was growing much taller and his limbs were lengthening, creating a proper body for the creature. When the light faded, he was a completely new Pokemon, in the most literal sense possible. He was thin, with cream and green skin and two small arms. The mushroom was now more of a cap rather than a whole head, and from underneath it peered two dark eyes. "Shroomish, you must've evolved! Pokedex, show me who exactly this handsome fellow is," Silver said excitedly, pointing the device at the creature.

"_Breloom. The Mushroom Pokemon. It scatters spores from the holes in the cap on its head. It loves warm and humid climates. It feeds on trees and plants in fields and forests._"

"Wow. Breloom, eh? And now you're a dual Fighting and Grass type! Wait 'til I tell Crystal, she'll be so jealous. And it looks like you've learned a move called Mach Punch, too!"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried happily, waving its new tail.

"I see your Shroomish evolved; how ironic. Meditite would have done better against it as it is now. But that's by the by; here I have your present. It's a very useful item we Winstrates have used for years now called a Macho Brace. You'll find the instructions on this piece of paper," She handed over the familiar device to Silver, oblivious to his twitching eye and expression of ironic shock. As he thanked the woman in a strangled voice and stomped off, he swore that he could feel amused vibrations from the Shedinja that floated beside him.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 20**

"Before we get to Fallarbor Town, we've got to go through a place called Fiery Path. I don't think I'll bother catching anything there; I've already got a great Fire Pokemon as it is, right, Combusken?"

"Combusken!" Silver was proceeding down the route towards Fallarbor Town, and had released his Pokemon to enjoy the walk too after their collective victory over the Winstrates. Breloom had already broken the Macho Brace with his incredible strength, having been the first to test it out, although to be honest Silver was quite relieved to be rid of it. They stopped for a quick picnic outside the warm cave known as Fiery Path, and Breloom had his first chance to play around with his contemporaries, Combusken and Corphish. As he sat on the grass watching them, Silver smiled.

"They may be a bit crazy at times, but they're looking good, aren't they?" he said to Shedinja; despite the creature's inability to talk or move, he had the strangest feeling it always was willing to listen to him. "I'm proud of everyone, even Corphish. But by now, I'd already caught five Pokemon on my Johto journey. I'll need to catch some more soon if I want to be able to cope with future Gym Leaders," Silver was anxious, but, like Togetic, Shedinja seemed to ooze a calming aura that steadied his nerves. "We'd better get going. These Gyms won't beat themselves, after all. Hey, guys! We're heading into the Fiery Path now!" he called and waved to the Pokemon, who reluctantly gave up their game and followed him inside the stuffy cavern. It was lit with sickly orange light, and warm mist floated up from cracks in the ground, making it humid and sticky. Silver was soon using his Safari Zone handkerchief, which Crystal had given to him all that time ago, to mop his brow, and picked at his shirt to pull it free from his damp skin. The Pokemon didn't seem too bothered by their environment; Combusken liked the warmth and strode along happily, a small smile on his face, Breloom apparently loved humid climates anyway, and Shedinja probably couldn't feel anything. Only Corphish shared Silver's discomfort, snapping his claws impatiently and scurrying off ahead to be free of the clinging atmosphere as soon as possible. This gave Silver an idea. "Guys, let's have a race! Whoever gets to the other end the fastest is the winner!" he suggested; he didn't want to cut short Combusken and Breloom's enjoyment, but he did certainly want to get away from the cloying heat. Thus, under the guise of a game, he sped up their journey. "Three... two... one... go!"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried, charging forwards on his powerful new legs, but Combusken quickly caught up on his even more incredibly strong ones. Corphish followed tenaciously, his competitive streak driving him on, whilst Silver was left languishing behind, no match for any of them as he was so hot. Soon they were actually lost to view, although he found them waiting outside faithfully. The air outside felt wonderfully cool and Silver joined them as they sat down to rest.

"Who won in the end?" he panted, stuffing his handkerchief back in his pocket as Shedinja finally made his appearance. Corphish raised his claw, but Breloom was pointing to Combusken, who was also raising a hand. "Well done, Combusken. I should've known those great legs would speed you to victory. Corphish, put your hand down. Nobody likes a liar," he admonished, and Corphish lowered his claw, looking sulky. When everyone was ready again, they continued up the route slowly, getting their breath back and cooling down. Luckily, there was a small stream along their route, so Corphish swam alongside them, successfully improving his mood in the process. Suddenly, Silver felt something drop onto his hand, and he looked down to see a small flake of greyish substance, which was still warm. Looking up at the sky, he saw a whole swathe of the flakes tumbling down towards them. "Is this what passes for snow in this weird region? No, wait... it's ash! It must be from that mountain over there! Oh, great... we're going to be covered in this stuff when we get to Fallarbor..." he muttered as more and more ash-flakes landed on him. As they proceeded, they found themselves penetrating deeper and deeper into what was some sort of wonderland; everything was coated with ash. Plants, trees, the ground... everything. The whole landscape was grey, like something had leeched out the colour. As Silver looked at himself and his Pokemon, he realised that they were grey too. Combusken looked like he had aged seventy years, whilst Breloom's face was the only splash of colour, protected by his mushroom cap. Corphish was looking incredibly strange, as he periodically shook himself, creating patches of red shell that shone through the grey coating brightly, and Shedinja merely let it settle on him, looking like a stone gargoyle of some sort after a while.

"Corphish!" Corphish snarled angrily, shaking himself again as more and more ash tumbled down to try and bury them in a sea of grey.

"Calm down, Corphish. It's not doing us any harm, we just look incredibly weird. Don't worry, when we reach the next Pokemon Centre, we'll get cleaned up, OK?" Silver said in a low voice; somehow, he felt as if he should whisper in this barren land of perpetual grey.

"Spinda!" something suddenly squeaked, and a small, rabbit-like creature stumbled out of some long, ash-coated grass, looking incredibly dizzy. The Pokedex revealed that it was Spinda, the Spot Panda Pokemon, whose erratic movements were just a ruse to mess up the foe's aim.

"Hmm... perhaps we could do with someone like that on the team. Combusken, use Double Kick!" Combusken leapt forwards, ready to pound Spinda into unconsciousness, but somehow he only managed to speed past, crashing into a dead tree and dislodging ash from its skeletal branches. "That's some of his trademark dodging, I guess. Breloom, you're up! Mach Punch!" Breloom sped forwards with immense quickness, extending his arm to deliver a powerful punch... which didn't connect. Instead, he slammed into a boulder, splitting it in half with his blow. Silver slapped his forehead. "What we need now is an attack that never misses. Corphish, let's see you try a Bubblebeam. You're probably strong and angry enough to pull it off, after all," Silver said, thinking that he may as well use the Spinda as training, and Corphish unleashed a thicker, more concentrated stream of bubbles that was visibly stronger. The only Pokemon they collided with, however, was Breloom, as Spinda somehow managed to manoeuvre them into position perfectly. "Come on, guys! Look at him, he's staggering around like he's been hit too hard on the head! Corphish, try another Bubblebeam!" This time, Spinda didn't stay still and wait for the attack. He moved his arms and legs in sinuous motion, looking for all the world as if he was dancing. Silver was about to laugh until he saw that Corphish, Combusken and Breloom were all copying his movements, staggering around and crashing into each other. "Return, everyone. That means you too, Corphish. I don't think I want Spinda after all," Silver sighed, recalling his Pokemon, and he moved on quickly as he found himself starting to copy Spinda's Teeter Dance unconsciously. "I know you'd be laughing if you could, so be quiet," he added waspishly to Shedinja, who was once again releasing amused vibrations. As Silver and Shedinja progressed, they saw normality loom ahead; half of the landscape, their half, was completely grey, whilst up ahead colour took back control, seeming almost vulgarly bright and garish with its greens and blues.

"Combusken," Combusken said as he was released again, shaking himself down to clear off the ash.

"Corphish!" Corphish said angrily, and actually made to go back into the wasteland to find and attack Spinda again, but luckily he was stopped by Breloom.

"We've reached planet Earth again, everyone. Thank goodness, Fallarbor Town's up ahead. Perhaps there we can forget the whole Spinda incident and wash away this horrible ash," Silver said, spitting out some of the stuff and looking wistfully down at his now-grey clothes. Fallarbor Town was a pleasant enough little settlement, but Silver's first memories of it would always be everyone who saw them laughing and pointing at their ashy predicament. It was with relief that he checked into a room at the Pokemon Centre, washing himself and his clothes as his Pokemon were cleaned and treated by the nurses. He sat in the garden and awaited his friends' return, taking the time to call up Crystal to pass the time.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me, Silver! I just phoned to ask how you are,"

"Silver! I'm OK, thank you. But I'm not having much more luck with Heracross at the minute; he can never resist attacking Tyrogue or Snorlax,"

"Some things never change. It makes me wish you were here in Hoenn with me, experiencing everything I'm experiencing. Although, you'll be thankful you haven't experienced what I did today..."

"Why? What happened?" Silver relayed the whole Spinda and ash incident, and by the end of it Crystal was spluttering with laughter. "I really wish I'd been there! To see you, I mean, not to get swamped in ash. I can just picture your Pokemon dancing..."

"Yeah, well... Anyway, Shroomish evolved into Breloom, who's partly a Fighting type!"

"Really? I must be having some sort of influence over you; both Combusken and Breloom are Fighting Pokemon, aren't they?"

"Yep. I'm on my way to my fourth badge at the minute, I'm just stopping off in Fallarbor Town. I might check out a place called Meteor Falls that the Pokenav says is close by,"

"Check that, you _will_ check out Meteor Falls. I may not be there in body, but I am in spirit," Crystal said almost threateningly.

"How's life in Johto? Anything happened to Violet City or New Bark Town?"

"Nope, not that I know of. Life's as normal as you'd expect when it's me concerned,"

"The usual craziness, then. Well, my Pokemon are currently making their way towards me, looking cleaner than ever, so I'm going to have to go. Give my best to the Pokemon, and your parents,"

"They'll both be glad to hear from you. I think Dad's finally recovering from the shock," Crystal joked; her father had been stunned to hear of their relationship, and his facial expression on learning about it had been relayed over the phone to much merriment. "Bye!"

"Talk to you later," Silver said, then shut the Pokenav. "How is everybody? All spick and span?"

"Corphish!" Corphish waved his claws happily.

"Combusken," Combusken nodded sombrely, his feathers shining.

"Breloom!" Breloom hopped up and down happily, as he used to do in his Shroomish days, although now he leapt about a foot due to his strong legs. Shedinja merely floated in silence.

"We're going to go to Meteor Falls, which isn't too far away. It'll be a good way to unwind and repress memories," Silver said, and the Pokemon crowded around him, ready to go. Meteor Falls sounded like a calm, beautiful natural wonder; what better place to go to escape the excitement that constantly dogged their steps?


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 21**

Meteor Falls, according to the leaflet Silver had procured from the Pokemon Centre, was a large cave west of Fallarbor Town with a waterfall inside. Apparently, it had many interesting rock formations inside, as well as being home to an elusive Dragon Pokemon known as Bagon. It was these attributes that apparently made Fallarbor a sure stop for many tourists exploring Hoenn. Silver hoped to spend the rest of the day in Meteor Falls before setting off to Lavaridge the next day, to claim his fourth Gym badge. As he and his Pokemon walked slowly down the route towards the Falls, they saw a woman wearing green stagger across their path, laden down with a cluster of objects crammed into her arms. As they walked past, watching her with mild interest, she suddenly gave in to gravity and dropped the many weird and wonderful things she was carrying. Silver ran over to help, looking over the items with interest; there was a Pokeball, a Mudkip doll, many pieces of paper, a floppy disk, and much more.

"Are you OK? This stuff looks heavy," Silver asked, bending down to help her up.

"Thanks. It's really annoying, as my house is just over there, and this is the first time I've dropped it all. Ah! You're a Pokemon Trainer, right?" she said, looking over Silver's team with interest.

"That's right. My name's Silver. Do you want any help with this stuff?"

"You're very kind. Follow me; like I said, my home's not far away. My name's Lanette; you've probably heard of me as the person who invented the Pokemon Storage System," she said proudly, as Silver dispersed the junk amongst his Pokemon and took a handful himself.

"Huh? I thought Bill invented it," Silver said, puzzled, thinking back to the time he had met the Pokemon genius. Lanette's expression froze on her face and she suddenly looked sheepish.

"Well, yes, he technically did... But _I_ introduced it to Hoenn," she finished defiantly.

"Oh, I see now," Silver said, then sighed and shook his head as Lanette turned her back. He could never escape the attention of strange people, could he? Not just for one measly day. Lanette's house was very small and was the messiest place Silver had ever seen in his life; it was even worse than his bedroom after months of neglect, just before his mother took pity on it. Every surface was covered with something related, however vaguely, to Pokemon. Dolls were in abundance, and he even noticed a 'Marshtomp Thanks' paperweight that made him wonder whether the craze had taken over the world yet.

"I don't really know how to thank you. Er... how about this adorable Lotad doll?" Lanette said, and Silver recoiled as something vaguely resembling a Lotad was shoved in his face.

"Aargh! I mean, thank you. I'm just glad to have helped someone so famous," Luckily Lanette missed the sarcasm in his voice, and they went their separate ways after a cordial goodbye. "Breloom, I've got a punching bag for you. This ugly little thing can be a workout for when you flatten Emerald's Lombre, right?" Silver said, holding the Lotad doll up, but Breloom shook his head quickly, shivering. "OK... Combusken, kicking practice? Even fire. Perhaps Ember would be the kindest thing to do," Silver admitted as he gazed upon the hideous doll. Combusken blinked up at him, straight-faced, so he gave up and moved onto his last resort. "Corphish, you can rip it to shreds with your claws. Your Vicegrip doesn't need much practice, but we may as well put it to good use,"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily, and extended his pincers. However, when Silver handed it to him, he snuggled up to it lovingly like it was a cute little teddy bear.

"The heck with it, I'll send it to Crystal," Silver snapped, snatching the doll away from his Pokemon and shoving it in his bag, where it joined the many 'Marshtomp Thanks' items Corphish had bought from Slateport Market which he hadn't gotten around to disposing of yet. All of a sudden, Silver spotted something out of the corner of his eye, and looked around to see a white and red-furred Pokemon sitting up on a tree branch close by. Its fur was so patchily coloured that the creature looked like it was covered in blood, and its two long, black claws on each hand reinforced the impression that it had just been in a vicious fight. However, it looked completely calm; relaxed, even. Its eyes followed Silver unblinkingly, two yellowish, slit-pupilled slashes just above its tiny nose and mouth. "This guy looks interesting. A new team member, perhaps? Let's see what the Pokedex has to say," Silver decided, waving the Pokedex up at the tree.

"_Zangoose. The Cat Ferret Pokemon. When it battles, it stands on its hind legs and attacks with its sharply clawed forelegs. Its fur bristles when it encounters Seviper, with which it has a blood-feud extending back centuries._"

"A blood-feud? That sounds rather violent. And here I was thinking that Pokemon battles were all fun and games. I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he added hastily, to ameliorate his Pokemon companions. "Zangoose here looks pretty tough. Breloom, get ready for battle! Time to test out that Mach Punch of yours,"

"Breloom!" Breloom said, standing ready. Zangoose jumped down from his tree and landed in front of Breloom, his expression still serious as he glared intensely at his foe. He raised his sharp claws in readiness to fight.

"Hit him with a Mach Punch!" Breloom sped forwards and dealt a powerful blow to Zangoose's face, sending him flying backwards before he could even try and dodge. "That was really good!" Silver encouraged, and Breloom raised his arm happily... seconds before being driven backwards by a powerful Slash attack from his foe. "Zangoose _is_ tough. Breloom, try a Mega Drain," Breloom zapped Zangoose with bolts of green energy which tried to sap his health. Zangoose span on the spot, his claws glittering, and he broke free of the attack with a graceful Swords Dance. "Uh oh... keep on your toes, Breloom. His attack power just went through the roof," Silver warned, and Zangoose and Breloom circled each other warily. They darted at each other every now and again, trying to injure their foe with lightning-swift passes, content to weaken each other slowly before moving into the kill. However, this soon grew boring for a certain Water Pokemon, and Zangoose slumped forwards, unconscious, as a claw whacked him on the back of the head. "Corphish! Ah, well. You got the job done. That looked like a Knock Off attack, so well done," Silver added.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily, waving his pincers as Breloom looked decidedly put-out.

"Pokeball, go!" Silver hurled a Pokeball at the fallen Zangoose, and the Cat Ferret Pokemon was drawn inside. It shivered not once, not twice, but a nerve-wracking three times before sealing itself. "Yes! I've caught Zangoose!" Silver said delightedly, raising the Pokeball above his head triumphantly.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, leaping up and demonstrating another perfect Knock Off attack that sent Zangoose's Pokeball flying from Silver's grip.

"Corphish, how many times? The Pokedex classed you as Rash, and boy did it class you right," Silver said, massaging his hand as he berated the happy Corphish. "Criticism just bounces right off you, doesn't it? Come on, help me find Zangoose in those bushes..." Silver and his Pokemon rootled around in the foliage close by, and as Silver looked up, his search having been fruitless, he found himself face-to-face with a gigantic serpent. "Yikes!" he cried, straightening up and backing away slightly to get a better look at the beast. Now that his heart rate slowed slightly, he saw that, in fact, the creature was incredibly beautiful. The smooth black sheen of its skin as it scrunched itself up like an accordion, the acid-green tinge on its back-scales and head, the long, red fangs protruding from its mouth, the arrow-shaped tail and the intelligent eyes combined to make it a creature Silver fell in love with immediately. "Wow! You're about the cutest creature I've ever seen!" he gushed, and the creature preened happily at the compliment.

"Combusken?" Combusken said questioningly, a stunned expression on his face as he looked from Silver to the serpent. "Combusken," he turned to Breloom in askance, but the Grass Pokemon shrugged.

"Breloom?" Breloom asked Corphish, who replied by leaping up and whacking his master over the head with a Knock Off attack.

"Ouch! Corphish, you really know how to ruin a guy's day. If you want to make yourself useful, attack him instead of me. I've just got to have him in my team," Combusken tapped the Pokedex insistently, but Silver ignored him as he focused on the snake. "Corphish, Bubblebeam!" Corphish sprayed a stream of bubbles at his foe that made it squeal in pain, before launching itself forwards and slamming Corphish with its glowing purple tail. "Corphish, are you alright?" Silver asked, and Corphish hopped back up. "I don't know what that attack was, but we'd better try a Knock Off!" Corphish leapt forwards and slammed his pincers like a hammer into the foe's face, sending the creature reeling. "Yes! Now, Bubblebeam!" Corphish looked set to weaken his opponent further with a precision attack, but the snake was knocked out of its path by Breloom, who demonstrated a Mach Punch to be proud of. "OK, now you two are square," Silver said impatiently as Corphish waved his pincers angrily at the triumphant Breloom. "Meanwhile, Pokeball, go!" He hurled his second to last Pokeball, and it only shook once before sealing itself. In mere minutes, he had caught not one but two Pokemon! "Uh... wait a minute, I don't even know this guy's name. Come out, whoever you are!" Silver released the battered serpent and waved the Pokedex at it.

"_Seviper. The Fang Snake Pokemon. Seviper and Zangoose are eternal rivals. It counters a Zangoose's dazzling agility with its sword-like tail, which oozes a horrible poison._" The Pokedex said in its mechanical voice.

"What? Oh no... Why didn't I check the Pokedex first? Combusken, why didn't you remind me?" he asked, and Combusken slapped his forehead. "So now I've got two eternal blood-feud enemies in my team. Fantastic. And I thought I had it bad with Corphish," Silver said, accepting Zangoose's Pokeball from Breloom and rubbing his head painfully from where the Water Pokemon had hit him. "Well, there's no going back now. We may as well have an overview," he pointed the Pokedex at Seviper with dread, wondering what on earth would become of his Champion dreams now.

"_This particular Seviper is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Sassy category, which is demonstrated by its instinct to show off or perform. It appears to have alternate colouration, and is thus colloquially known as a 'shiny'._"

"Wow, a shiny! They're seriously rare! And Sassy too, eh? You may do well in those Pokemon Contests Emerald was talking about," Silver said, finding light at the end of the tunnel after all. "Seviper, return. Zangoose, let's have an overview of you this time,"

"_This particular Zangoose is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Calm category, which is demonstrated by its level-headedness in battle and resistance to Confusion attacks._"

"That's useful, I guess. Especially coupled with your Immunity ability," Silver added, checking the Pokedex again and seeing that Zangoose was immune to Poison, but the Cat Ferret was too far gone to reply. "Return. I'll get you to a Pokemon Centre as soon as possible. OK, guys, it looks like we're headed back to Fallarbor for now. We'll come back to Meteor Falls later; it isn't like we have any time constraints, or anyone's waiting there for us," Silver changed course and about-turned, walking slowly back to Fallarbor and wracking his brains as to how he could come out of this particular situation well. He already had an overly-serious Combusken, a naive and enthusiastic Breloom and a Corphish which surpassed description, as well as an empty, floating shell creepily restored to life; all he needed was two creatures who hated each other and wouldn't stop fighting. He was hit by a mad desire to laugh as he imagined what would happen if he used Seviper and Zangoose in a double battle. Seviper had obviously had some effect on him, as the Pokedex hadn't even occurred to him at the time. But then again, he was equally unwilling to set free Zangoose, who looked like he could be both a great battler and a rational listening ear that could actually talk back and give some indication of his emotions. Suddenly, it struck him like a Thunderbolt from an overenthusiastic Pikachu; if he could forge Seviper and Zangoose into an effective fighting team, he'd be hailed as a great Pokemon Trainer who could overcome even ages-old barriers in raising his squad. Seeing the two together would also be very unexpected for any foe, and could even go one step further and catch them off-guard. It was decided. He would make Seviper and Zangoose good friends and companions no matter what.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 22**

"OK, Zangoose, return. It's Seviper's turn to get some fresh air," Silver said, and Zangoose hissed angrily at the sound of his enemy's name before being sucked into his Pokeball. "Seviper, come out,"

"Seviper," Seviper said sibilantly, swinging his sharp tail happily. Silver and the team were heading towards Meteor Falls for the second time, and Silver was pondering on what to do about Zangoose and Seviper. He had broken the news to them (separately, of course) that their ancestral foes were also in the squad, and let's just say he didn't receive overly positive responses. He hadn't yet dared to physically introduce the two, so as he tried to think up a good way to do so, they were taking turns in being out of their Pokeballs. Both of the Pokemon were looking good after their treatments at Fallarbor Pokemon Centre, and even the nurse had complimented how fine Seviper looked, although somehow she seemed to think he was beautiful and intimidating as opposed to cute. Silver had already found a new pastime involving his beloved Seviper; he enjoyed cleaning and polishing the creature's skin to keep it shiny and lustrous, just as he had once enjoyed polishing Togepi's egg. Zangoose and Seviper had been allowed an hour or so each to mingle with their new team-mates before setting off for the Falls, and they seemed to get on with everyone OK, although Corphish had tried to attack Seviper on first sight, and in turn Zangoose was wary of the Water Pokemon due to their altercations earlier. Meteor Falls loomed a short distance ahead of them, a gigantic, sparkling cavern which shone with crystalline luminescence even from their removed position.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? I wish we had a camera or something, then we could send some pictures to Crystal," Silver admired as they strolled into the maw-like cave, gazing around wondrously at the crystal-clear lakes, the gleaming stalactites and stalagmites, and above all the churning, sparkling waterfall that covered the entirety of one wall, flowing down from some long-forgotten cave. "It's called Meteor Falls because someone once discovered a crashed comet here. Some people believe that Pokemon came from space and rode on comets like that to get here. Weird, huh? You guys could be aliens," Silver sighed, looking over some craters where meteors had doubtless impacted aeons before.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, waving his pincers; he obviously found the idea of being an alien quite appealing.

"I could believe it of you, Corphish. Nobody from this planet is quite as crazy as you, after all. What about you, Breloom? D'you think you're from the distant stars?"

"Breloom," Breloom replied doubtfully, and Silver could tell that he would believe it if someone told him it was true.

"Combusken's way too normal to be an alien, I think. Seviper, I don't know about you. Perhaps only shiny Pokemon are from space," Silver remarked, but Combusken broke his admittedly weird trail of thought by tugging on his arm. "Hmm? What's up?"

"Combusken," Combusken replied, pointing into a rocky alcove a good way off to the right. A man resembling a stereotypical mad scientist, with crazy, flyaway black-and-grey hair, a beard and thick glasses, was being cornered by two people wearing red hoodies and black and red trousers. Their identical attire immediately reminded Silver of Team Rocket or Team Aqua members, and he realised that this was to be his first meeting with the esteemed Team Magma.

"Hey! Are you two looking for me?" he called bravely, sauntering over as if he did this every day of his life. Luckily his Pokemon followed like a group of bodyguards. The three people turned and looked at them, and the Magma members glanced at each other worriedly.

"A kid," one of them muttered.

"A kid with three badges and four Pokemon. I'll hold him off, you get away with the meteorite," the other one replied, and released a large, vicious-looking dog Pokemon as the other Magma member sprinted away, holding a small rock.

"Combusken, try and catch up with the other guy! Seviper, use Poison Tail!" Silver said quickly, and Combusken darted after the meteorite-holding man as Seviper slammed his glowing purple tail onto Mightyena's head.

"Mightyena, Bite!" the Magma member retorted, and Mightyena fixed his jaws near Seviper's neck, hoping to make him succumb to lack of air.

"Seviper, Wrap!" Silver retorted, and Seviper's coils swept up to engulf Mightyena as a battle of endurance began; would Seviper be the first to loosen his crushing grip, or would Mightyena give up his Bite beforehand?

"Combusken!" Silver suddenly heard, and he turned to see the other Magma member fleeing from the cave, a camel-like Pokemon following him as it blasted Combusken away with what looked to be a Magnitude attack.

"Combusken, no!" Silver cried, and the other Magma member took his chance.

"Mightyena, return," he spat, and sprinted off after his companion, pushing the scientist into Silver to delay any pursuit.

"Let him go, guys. The police can catch up to him later," Silver said, climbing to his feet and pulling up the scientist. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, thank you. No thanks to that dastardly Team Magma," the professor replied scathingly, brushing off his clothes. "My name is Professor Cozmo. I am Hoenn's greatest expert on extra-terrestrial debris – that is, meteorites, comets and so on. I had just discovered a new meteor in here when those Magma goons jumped me and stole it! Why on earth would they need a meteorite, I ask you?" Cozmo fumed.

"I don't know. I've only just met them myself. D'you want to get back to the Pokemon Centre, or your home or something? You can recover from the shock there and phone the police, so we can get your meteorite back," Silver suggested.

"I'm not an old man, boy. I can take care of myself. But I appreciate your assistance nonetheless. You were very brave in standing up to them there. Please come back with me, and perhaps I can furnish a reward of some sort,"

"Oh, that's really not necessary. As long as you're alright. Combusken, are you OK, or do you want to go back to the Pokemon Centre? What about you, Seviper?" The two Pokemon intimated that they'd be just fine with a little rest, so Silver said, "I'm going to stay here and have a look around, then. May as well check for any clues whilst I'm here,"

"Good idea, young man. It was a pleasure meeting you, and thank you again... well, I must confess I've forgotten to ask you your name," Cozmo said apologetically.

"I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. Hopefully I'll be able to help the police out here and get your meteorite back for you," Silver replied, and the two parted ways after a handshake. "Well done, Seviper. That was good for a first battle. Combusken, sorry I wasn't there to help. I should've guessed he'd use his own Pokemon against you," Silver said, but Combusken waved it away as Seviper glowed with pleasure. "Right, let's have a look around for some clues. Maybe we'll find some incriminating evidence. Just think like that Officer Jenny off TV," Silver advised as they poked around in the alcove, remembering his mum watching the Pokemon Crime Scene Investigation on TV when he was younger. However, neither he nor his Pokemon could find a single thing, although Corphish did manage to disturb a rock-like beast known as Solrock, which chased them all out of the cave with fire and Psychic pulses. As they watched Solrock float back inside the cave, panting and sweating, Silver tried to think why Team Magma would want a meteorite. He didn't really know their goals, which was a huge problem; he knew that Team Rocket had wanted world domination, and Team Aqua wanted to expand the sea, so he knew for certain that he had to oppose them. Then again, Emerald had said that Team Magma were evil, and she wasn't the lying type, especially when it came to Silver's defects. What he did know was that Team Aqua and Team Magma were rivals, so perhaps Team Magma wanted to expand the land? It was a wild theory, but logical, and he guessed that it could be correct. However, that still didn't help him figure out where they could have taken the meteorite, or why. Eventually he decided that he would let more qualified people deal with this particular incident, and continue with his Pokemon quest. If he met Team Magma again, he'd do his best to be a spanner in the works. "We'd better get back to Fallarbor," he said, climbing to his feet, and his Pokemon faithfully followed as he made his way to the cable car in silence, still pondering Team Magma. A nice attendant explained to them how exactly the cable car mechanism worked, and Silver and the Pokemon crammed themselves inside after paying for their ride up to the top of Jagged Pass.

"Breloom!" Breloom exclaimed happily as he pulled the door to the cable car shut. They were sitting on soft leather seats, which were admittedly rather patched and frayed, and Silver had replaced Seviper with Zangoose so the Cat Ferret could experience the sensation of rising up the mountainside, having been denied Meteor Falls. With a great juddering movement, the cabin they were in started its ascent, dangling over the ground like a fishing lure and rising ever higher above it as it approached its destination.

"Wow! How weird is this? Pretty cool, though. What do you think, Zangoose?" Zangoose gave him a small smile in response, sitting in a comfortable position next to him and looking out of the window. "What about the rest of you? Do you like it, Corphish?"

"Corphish," Corphish said miserably, covering his eyes with his claws and cowering on the floor.

"Afraid of heights? I can't say I'm too keen of them myself. Combusken, you're fine, aren't you?" Combusken nodded, looking completely and utterly at ease. It would take more than this to unnerve such a courageous creature. "And finally Breloom. How are you, buddy?"

"Breloom!" Breloom replied excitedly, wagging his tail; he evidently thought of it all as a big adventure. Suddenly, a chime rang from the speakers, and everyone jumped.

"At the top already? Good service. OK, everyone, prepare for some cool, refreshing mountain air, and some nice, calm scenery," Silver said, throwing open the doors and allowing everyone out. His words died in his mouth as he breathed in the stench of sulphur and smoke, and peered through the disgusting volcanic fog to see members of Team Aqua and Magma engaged in vicious battle everywhere. "OK, looks like I was wrong on both counts. But it looks like we've found the meteorite," Silver said with a sigh, and prepared to fight his way through. "Right, most of the fighting is concentrated over there, by that huge crater. By the looks of things, there are more Magmas than Aquas over there, so that must be their little temporary base. Yep, I can even see a little machine there. That's where we're headed, I guess," He took a deep breath and recalled all of his Pokemon, having only Shedinja floating beside him as usual, and started darting between boulders and rocks, hiding behind them to avoid getting waylaid by the Grunts as he made his way towards the congregation of Magma members and their machine. Luckily, although Team Magma seemed to be winning, the fighting was fierce, and nobody even looked his way as he dashed over the red, rocky landscape towards his destination. Eventually, he was mere metres away from the machine, and he hid behind a particularly large boulder as he debated his options. He could see the meteorite plugged into the machine clearly, and it was obvious that Team Magma was planning to use it somehow on the seething lava below. However, guarding the machine was a man clearly higher up on the Magma food chain, perhaps right at the very top. He wore red clothes, as was to be expected, but not the trademark hoodie. Instead he wore a suit, with the black Magma 'M' emblazoned on the chest. His hair was spiked and red, his face wore an inscrutable expression as he looked over the battle and there were three polished Pokeballs at his belt. 'He looks tough,' Silver thought, 'But it's my duty to take him on, if he's planning world domination or expansion of the land,' Before he could stop himself, he jumped out in front of the red-haired man. "Afternoon. Don't mind me, I'm just here to retrieve my meteorite," he said.

"Begone, boy. I don't have time for you. Team Aqua is at my mercy," the man replied condescendingly.

"Great. But still, I'm going to get my meteorite back. There's no telling what mischief you'd get up to with it," Silver moved towards the machine, but the red-haired man dodged in front of him, taking up a battle position.

"My name is Maxie. I lead Team Magma. Retreat now or suffer the consequences," he said acidly, grabbing a Pokeball.

"I think I'll take my chances. Combusken, go!" Silver released Combusken, who got ready for battle.

"Mightyena, destroy them!" Maxie retorted, releasing a familiar dog-like beast which growled angrily at Combusken.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" Combusken hammered Mightyena with two precision kicks, which sent the dog reeling and yelping as it suffered super-effective damage.

"Mightyena, Tackle!" Mightyena struck back with a savage charge, barging Combusken out of the way and preparing for another attack. "Now, use Bite!" The dog swung around and fixed his teeth around Combusken's arm, although the Fire Pokemon didn't let out a single cry of pain.

"Stay with me, Combusken! Use Ember!" Combusken sprayed fire over Mightyena, singing his fur and stinging his nose and eyes, but the Dark Pokemon still didn't let go.

"Keep going, Mightyena! Drag him to the floor and finish him with a Double Edge!" Maxie ordered, and Mightyena viciously pulled at Combusken's arm, trying to wrench him to the floor and pin him in position.

"Combusken, jump up!" Silver countered quickly, and Combusken launched himself upwards on his powerful legs, Mightyena being dragged along for the ride. "Double Kick!" Combusken twisted in mid-air and battered Mightyena with two more kicks, finally dislodging him from his arm before the two Pokemon landed, breathing heavily.

"Use Double Edge! Knock him into the volcano if necessary!" Maxie snarled, and Mightyena launched himself into another charge, barking savagely. Silver's blood ran cold as he imagined Combusken being hurled into the lava, and he cried,

"Combusken, Scratch!" Mightyena's head snapped to the side as Combusken raked his cheek with his claws, but the dog Pokemon still smashed his whole prodigious weight into the Fire Pokemon, hurling them both perilously close to the edge of the crater. "Combusken, jump away from there!" Silver ordered, and Combusken leapt upwards, landing several metres away; as he straightened up again, it seemed as though Mightyena was the one cornered now.

"Mightyena, Howl!" Maxie commanded, and Mightyena raised his head, releasing a deathly howl that reverberated around the crater eerily.

"Combusken, Focus Energy!" Silver countered, and Combusken stood firm, psyching himself up for the duel that was sure to reconvene soon. The Pokemon stood in silence as they faced each other, awaiting commands from their equally tense and silent Trainers. Maxie eventually broke the deadlock;

"Mightyena, Double Edge as hard as you can!" Mightyena galloped forwards, howling all the while as it prepared to slam into Combusken with no thought of its own safety.

"Combusken, Double Kick as hard as _you_ can!" Silver countered. Combusken leapt forwards to meet Mightyena in the middle, and the two Pokemon collided like the meteorite they fought over; Mightyena's charge sent Combusken flying backwards helplessly, but the Fire Pokemon's Double Kick hit home with equal power, pounding the dog Pokemon through the air until it crashed into the machine which held the meteorite. The metal box teetered on the edge, then fell forwards, plopping down into the lava like a rock.

"No! Mightyena, what have you done?" Maxie yelled.

"Uh oh... now what? Combusken, get ready, this might not be over yet," Silver warned, and Combusken got to his feet, dazed. Maxie hurtled towards the edge of the crater, and for a moment Silver thought he was going to throw himself down into the lava after the meteorite, but he stopped just short, scanning the molten rock for any sign of his precious machine.

"You, child, have been far too much of a nuisance. What you have just done is unforgiveable; Team Aqua has been given a new chance for survival, and our victory has been snatched away. You have just stopped world peace in its tracks, you little fool. Expanding the land is what's best for people and Pokemon alike. But I have no more time to waste on you; we must be going. This is going to take some smoothing over," Maxie spat.

"I'm glad to hear it," Silver replied sarcastically.

"Tabitha, everything's gone wrong. Get everyone back to base as quickly as possible. I'll explain on the way," Maxie muttered into some sort of mobile phone, and sped off as fast as he could, Mightyena limping in behind. Silver walked over to the crater edge and looked to where the machine had fallen in, to see whether there was any hope for the meteorite, but there was just a mass of bubbling lava that forced him backwards with its incredible heat.

"Oh no... we failed, Combusken. We may have stopped Team Magma, but we lost the meteorite," he said regretfully, his heart sinking. He slumped down next to the crater, watching the Team Magma Grunts in rout as they fled. Where they were headed, nobody knew. Hopefully the police or G-Men would catch up with them later and put a stop to their deeds; for now, he was wondering how he could possibly go back and look Professor Cozmo in the eye.

"Don't look so down, kid," a familiar voice said, and Silver looked up to see the burly Archie, leader of Team Aqua. "You helped us out there by wrecking their machine. You may have just given the world another chance. I'd offer you my thanks, but I don't think you'd want it, would you?"

"The best thanks you can give is getting out of here," Silver sighed.

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll summon the police, and get one of my agents to explain the whole thing," Archie said, and turned to leave.

"Can you send a message to Professor Cozmo in Fallarbor Town? Tell him I'm sorry that his meteorite got destroyed," Silver said despondently, after a second's debate.

"Cozmo, eh? OK, kid, I'll do it. Just don't expect any favours if you get in our way again. And remember, if you ever want to join Team Aqua, there's a spot open for you," Archie replied, but their conversation was broken off as a Team Aqua commander appeared beside his master. "Yes? What is it, Matt?"

"Team Magma's disappeared. We can't find them anywhere. What shall I tell the Grunts to do now?"

"Tell them to disperse, and meet back at base later. Silver here saved our behinds, and there's some stuff I need to do for him before we leave. Get in your normal clothes and say you're a resident of Fallarbor; explain everything to the police. Maybe they'll succeed in tracking down Team Magma. Well, Silver, this is goodbye. You're a rare type of Trainer, but I hope we don't meet again, for your sake more than mine," Archie turned on his heels and left, with Matt trailing behind and looking at Silver suspiciously. Silver stood up himself and walked slowly over to the edge of the mountain; far below was Lavaridge Town, but first he had to brave the Jagged Pass. Then, after far more danger and drama than he would have expected, he would face the fourth Gym Leader of Hoenn.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 23**

"Would you like some cookies, dear?" Silver almost fell off his precarious perch as an old woman jumped out from behind a rock, holding a tray full of cookies and looking at him hopefully.

"Cookies?" he said uncomprehendingly, focusing on climbing down the rock face alive.

"Yes, dear. Some of my famous Lava Cookies. Pokemon love them," the old woman said as his feet touched the ledge. Silver wiped his brow and sighed. One minute he was fiercely battling Maxie, the leader of Team Magma, and the next he was almost being scared to death by an old crone on cookie patrol.

"Pokemon like them, eh? I guess they all deserve a treat. I'll take five, please. Er... that's assuming you don't have a mouth, Shedinja. I can't see one, anyway," Silver said, inspecting the Shed Pokemon closely before handing over the money. Accepting five large, chewy chocolate chip cookies, he thanked the old woman and stuffed them in his bag before continuing down the winding trail. The Jagged Pass was a difficult route for any Trainer, as it was comprised mostly of thin downward paths or rocky handholds to climb down, but it was the quickest way to get to Lavaridge Town, his next destination. Apart from the ever-present Shedinja, he had none of his Pokemon out of their Pokeballs, as he didn't want to endanger any of their lives. In Corphish's case, endanger _his_ life. As he climbed, he pondered his greatest mystery; how to make Seviper and Zangoose work as a team, or at least get on with each other. He still hadn't made the crucial introductions, and was wondering whether to do it before or after his Gym battle. Then it hit him; Scott would know what to do. He was clever and world-wise, and knew a lot about Pokemon, particularly of the Hoenn region. And if Scott didn't know what to do? He'd have a never-ending death-duel on his hands. Combusken was always a logical thinker, so perhaps he could talk sense into them. Breloom was probably too easily influenced, and would take against Seviper or Zangoose in turn, depending on who he was talking to at the time. Corphish was out of the question. Shedinja seemed to be something of a royal or sacred figure amongst Pokemon, so he was a possibility. He could at least act as an impenetrable barrier between the two, if the worst came to the worst (which, knowing Silver, it probably would).

"Shh!" someone suddenly said, and Silver looked at a ledge further down the mountainside, seeing a familiarly-clad man standing there holding a hand over his Zubat's wide mouth. He was wearing the clothes of a Team Magma Grunt, and was apparently trying to act inconspicuously as Silver approached.

"Did Maxie leave you behind?" Silver joked as he walked past the man, who was leaning on a face of peculiarly flat rock.

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about. We're innocent bystanders," the man replied flippantly, lowering his hood to shadow his face as Zubat settled nervously on his shoulder.

"Yeah, right. I'm no police officer, so I don't have the authority to arrest you, unfortunately. Just tell Maxie that if we meet again, he'd better watch out,"

"Maxie can't be beaten by some kid. Uh oh..." the Magma man covered his mouth, and Zubat cuffed his head with his turquoise wing, chattering with annoyance.

"So you aren't just some innocent bystander. What are you doing here, anyway? Be warned, I'll tell the police you're here..."

"Me? Uh... you were right. Maxie left us behind. We're not guarding anything, if that's what you're thinking. What, d'you think Team Magma would make its base in the side of this mountain, or something?" the Magma Grunt attempted a sneer.

"Right. Well, I've got places to go, so I'll catch you later," Silver said, waving sarcastically before continuing on his way. The Magma Grunt's manner had unnerved him; what exactly _had_ he been doing there? The man had been a bad liar, and had basically told Silver that he was protecting something for his master. But what? Thinking on this actually made him forget about the Zangoose and Seviper predicament for a while, and as he stood on the outskirts of the small Lavaridge Town, he made the immense, absent-minded mistake of releasing his Pokemon for some fresh air. All of them.

"Zangoose!" Zangoose cried angrily, tensing up and raising his claws as he spotted his age-old foe.

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed, swinging his tail around like a blade and snapping his jaws.

"Combusken, restrain Zangoose! Breloom, take out Seviper! Corphish... just stay out of the way, OK?" Silver added, almost tripping over the excitable Corphish as he struggled to separate the thrashing foes. Both Pokemon were fighting as hard as they could as Combusken and Breloom dragged them away from each other, having a hard time despite their strength as both creatures went berserk. "Zangoose, meet Seviper. Seviper, this is Zangoose," Silver said loudly over the hubbub, but he was ignored completely and, if he had to admit it, predictably.

"Corphish, Corphish!" Corphish cried, clashing his pincers and egging on the battlers like a schoolboy watching a playground brawl.

"Corphish, _move_. Zangoose, I command you to stop," Silver said firmly. Zangoose gave him a look that would have turned anyone else to stone, but allowed his struggles to die down slightly, letting Combusken get a firmer hand on him. "Seviper, listen to me. I'm Silver, your Trainer, and Pokemon always obey their Trainers," Silver said, unhelpfully choosing this time to remember Crystal's Heracross. However, Seviper too thrashed around less, and Breloom finally managed to get him in a tight enough hold that he wouldn't escape. "Seviper, Zangoose, you're both in my team now. That means that whether you like it or not, you're team-mates," Silver said, but this only sparked off further and more vicious resistance. Breloom was unlucky enough to be weak against Seviper's Poison Tail, so with a well-aimed swipe Seviper broke free, wriggling towards the helpless but still-fighting Zangoose. However, Corphish for once proved helpful, blasting Seviper with a Bubblebeam and allowing Breloom to catch him again. "Well done, Corphish," Silver said reluctantly, and Corphish waved his claws happily.

"Corphish, Corphish," he teased the trapped Seviper, having finally defeated the snake Pokemon after Breloom cheated him of his victory not so long ago.

"Don't try that again, Seviper, or Breloom will be forced to get tough. Zangoose, you don't want to be on the other end of Combusken's Double Kick, trust me. Now, I'm having faith in you to put aside your rivalry and talk to each other. To be an effective team, we need civility between everyone. Friendship, even. Combusken, Breloom and Corphish are all pals, aren't you?" Combusken, Breloom and Corphish all nodded in tandem, although the latter's was rather forced. "I know that they like you both separately, too. But we need the whole team to be good friends, or we'll fail badly in a double battle. What will happen if you two are my only Pokemon left, and you're called upon to battle alongside each other? Please, we're working for the same destination; the Hall of Fame! Imagine, Seviper and Zangoose in the Hall together, great friends and an unbeatable team!" His words were seemingly just adding fuel to the fire of their hatred, and their struggles once again grew in intensity. "Shedinja, can you instil some sense into them? Try and tell them that they're allies, and that we're working towards the same aim. Tell them that no matter what battles their species have had in the past, they have no impact on them. They aren't enemies really; they've just been told that they are. They have no real reason to hate each other beyond dusty old quarrels, the reasons for which have probably been forgotten by all of them," Silver pleaded, and suddenly became aware that all of his Pokemon were watching him, completely still.

"Combusken," Combusken announced to everyone, and whatever it meant, it seemed to drive home the emotion of Silver's words. The Fire Pokemon then released his captive, who dusted off his bristling fur and glared over at Seviper as if he wished him nothing but ill, but he didn't launch into an attack. Breloom did the same, allowing Seviper to scrunch himself up like an accordion again, surveying Zangoose with disgust and suspicion. They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds, seemingly unwilling to approach each other.

"Please, guys? For me?" Silver said, but his words made no impact until Shedinja floated over, distracting the ancestral foes from each other for the first time. Shedinja silently addressed each Pokemon in turn, sparing the same short amount of time on each before floating back over behind Silver. Zangoose and Seviper stared into each other's eyes for a second, seeing nothing but mistrust, but with the appearance of being forced into something unpleasant, Seviper extended his tail and Zangoose shook it for a split-second in his claw. Then the two Pokemon turned away from each other haughtily. "A truce. Great job, Shedinja," Silver said with relief. "Let's go into Lavaridge Town, then. Zangoose, Seviper, I admire you both. You took the moral high ground," he continued, and he and the Pokemon walked into town, Seviper and Zangoose walking and slithering as far away from each other as they possibly could, whilst still being part of the group. "According to the Pokenav, there are hot springs here to enjoy. That should be a pretty cool way to finish off the day, right, guys?"

"Breloom!" Breloom said enthusiastically when nobody else made a comment.

"Fine, we'll go on our own, Breloom," Silver snapped, shaking his head at the lack of response.

"Breloom," Breloom sighed, hanging his head, and Silver slapped his forehead.

"I'll go alone, then. You lot can hang out at the Pokemon Centre, and get to know each other better," he said resignedly, wondering whether the nurses were up to an all-out Seviper and Zangoose brawl, then finding himself perversely pleased as he imagined himself sitting happily in the hot springs whilst they struggled with the Pokemon. As it transpired, the hot springs were actually situated behind the Pokemon Centre in the garden, so unfortunately for Silver he was close by the Pokemon powder keg that threatened to explode at any second as the creatures played close by. He hired a free towel from the Pokemon Centre and walked over the patio to the wide hot springs, which just seemed to be a rocky pool full of water. Slipping inside, wearing only his swimming trunks, he savoured the warm water that doused his body right up to the neck, and the heated steam that rose from its clear surface. "Ahhh... you guys, you don't know what you're missing," he called over to the Pokemon, but they either didn't hear him or they ignored him. He could have a pretty good guess at which.

"It's nice, isn't it? I come here every day for some relaxation," a girl slightly older than him sighed from close by. Her hair was quite long and a deep red colour, but spiked up slightly at the back.

"Every day? You must live here in Lavaridge, I'm guessing,"

"That's right. I've never seen you here before; what's your name?"

"I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. I'm just stopping in Lavaridge on my Pokemon quest,"

"Wow, cool! I wish I could go on one of those,"

"Why can't you? You're older than me, after all,"

"I've got... commitments here in Lavaridge," she shook her head wistfully.

"Family?"

"Not exactly. Family plays a part, but it's not the root of the problem. Anyway, I've just got to ask... are those your Pokemon over there?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah... A real group of lunatics if you ever saw one. Combusken's the only normal one, and even he can be a bit of a pain sometimes,"

"Combusken? He's a Fire type, right?" the girl asked excitedly.

"Yep. I got him when he was a Torchic. I've got a Typhlosion, too, but he's back at home,"

"I love Fire Pokemon. There's just... something about them. You've obviously picked up on this, having selected two Fire type Starter Pokemon,"

"I guess so. I don't generally favour any one type, but Fire Pokemon have definitely served me well. Then again, so have so many others... I think a Pokemon Champion needs to have a well-rounded team if he wants to be truly great,"

"So you're another one with high hopes for the future. I'd love to travel around with my lovely Fire Pokemon, but no, I'm stuck here," Her voice was quite bitter at this, but she was looking at Silver as if she wanted or even expected him to provide succour.

"Don't worry, sometimes being a travelling Trainer can be more trouble than it's worth," he assured her. "Pokemon are unpredictable creatures, just like people. You never know quite what to expect," The girl smiled, and Silver could tell her respect for him had risen even higher.

"Are you challenging Gyms?" She asked this lightly, but Silver could sense something that was almost anticipation in her voice.

"Er... yeah. I've got three badges. Actually, that's why I'm stopping off in Lavaridge; I've heard there's a Pokemon Gym here," The girl smiled, shaking her head sadly.

"Always the same. I may as well break the news; my name's Flannery, and I'm the Gym Leader here. As you've already guessed, I train Fire types," Silver was dumbstruck, but blushed as Flannery rose up, revealing a black swimsuit so tight he didn't know where to look. "Maybe we can battle tomorrow, Silver. We're probably both too tired tonight, after all. I'd hoped we could be... friends, but that's not possible now," Flannery's voice was cool now, and she wrapped a soft towel around herself before taking her leave, leaving Silver feeling puzzled. What had he done to offend her? Why couldn't they be friends, even if she was a Gym Leader? Then he realised what Crystal would say and do if she found out he had just been lying in some hot springs with an older girl, wearing only his swimming trunks, and he jumped out of the water as if it was acid.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 24**

Silver was up half the night, unable to sleep as he found himself planning rigorous tactics to use against Flannery the next day. Corphish, of course, would be the staple of the team, being a Water type, but if he had the chance he'd also test out Zangoose too. If there were three options available, Seviper would fill the final spot. Breloom, having a type disadvantage, was only to be used if five Pokemon were necessary... no. He had to stop thinking. He had to sleep, because he wouldn't be alert enough tomorrow if he spent tonight awake. Then again, Combusken would be resistant to Fire types, and it would be Zangoose's first battle... he mentally slapped himself and forced his eyes shut, turning under the covers to try and get more comfortable. If only he still had a Pokemon that could use Hypnosis. The best he had so far was to have Corphish try and knock him out with Knock Off, but he had no desire to put that to the test. Luckily, the nearby Shedinja was emitting calm vibes that settled down his mind, and allowed him to slowly drift off to sleep. In the morning, he got up feeling fuzzy-headed, but after his bathe in the hot springs yesterday his muscles and joints actually felt better than ever.

"I knew the others should've bathed as well. Imagine how high Combusken could jump with nice fresh legs!" Silver enthused, but Shedinja was, as ever, impassive and silent. "Come on out, everyone. Zangoose, remember what I said yesterday," Silver warned, seeing Zangoose's fur bristle with his close contact with Seviper. "Let's go down to breakfast. Corphish, I hope you're feeling fit and healthy today, because I'm going to need your help to win that fourth badge,"

"Corphish!" Corphish replied, scuttling out of the door Silver held open and looking forward to his battle.

"Seviper, how are you? You might get to make an appearance too, just so I can get a feel for you in proper combat conditions, OK?"

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed enthusiastically, although he was looking at Zangoose out of the corner of his eye.

"Zangoose, wait up! Are you feeling OK? Up for a fight?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose nodded, his face straight, but he too was watching his foe almost without noticing he was doing it.

"Combusken, you, Breloom and Shedinja can wait on the sidelines with Scott and Hypno. Unless you'd rather be in your Pokeballs, of course," Combusken shook his head and placed a hand on Silver's shoulder, showing his support, whilst Breloom wagged his tail and hopped up happily. They ate breakfast in a leisurely fashion, although once or twice Silver had to call back Corphish as he tried to creep out of the door to tackle the Gym on his own. When he felt reasonably satisfied, and saw that Seviper and Zangoose were reaching boiling point across the table from each other, he rallied the Pokemon and walked over to the Lavaridge Town Pokemon Gym, to challenge Flannery herself to a match. He felt a twinge of guilt as he spotted Scott and Hypno waiting outside; he knew Scott was touchy about being his informant, and wouldn't be happy about him learning about the Gym from someone else, even if it was the Gym Leader.

"Silver! Good to see you! It looks like you've made a few new additions to your team, not least with Shedinja! How are you? It took us ages to get you to evolve, didn't it?" Scott strolled over and took a close look at the floating shell happily.

"Ninjask is back home and happy with his colony; he beat up that bullying Poochyena really easily. Shedinja here's a sort of present from him, to protect me," Silver replied.

"Cool. But these two... Seviper and Zangoose? Are you aware of their history?"

"The only history is between their species; these particular two have no grudge against each other," Silver said stiffly.

"You'll be lucky if they see it that way. Anyway, the fourth Gym of Hoenn; Lavaridge Town! Home to Flannery, a Fire type Trainer, who bathes in the hot springs to wash away any daily stresses. She only recently inherited the Gym from her grandfather, who used to be in the Elite Four," Scott rattled off smugly.

"So that's what she meant about family being an issue... oops," Silver covered his mouth.

"You've met Flannery? And by the sound of it, you had a heart to heart. Did it give you pleasure to leech out the secrets of her Gym, knowing I won't be needed?"

"A heart to heart? Hardly. We just talked. Anyway, I told her I was on a Pokemon journey, and she told me. Then she left. See, I don't even know what Pokemon she has," Silver countered. Scott seemed slightly mollified.

"Well, let's get inside, then. I guess you'll be using Corphish?"

"That's right. And I'm going to test out Zangoose and Seviper if possible, too,"

"Good plan. Remember when Poliwag evolved into Poliwhirl after beating Jasmine's Steelix? That was his first battle, wasn't it?"

"That's my line of thinking," Silver replied, wondering how on earth he could have forgotten this information. The Gym itself was, as expected, warm and stuffy, and there was even a sort of haze that spread through the room, like thinning smoke. Flannery looked up quickly from staring down at the battle-field when she heard them approach, and smiled as Silver walked over.

"Hello. Are you ready for our battle?" she asked, quieter and more serious than yesterday. Silver still hadn't worked out how he had offended her.

"Am I ever! What rules do you have here?"

"Three Pokemon each," Flannery replied, and her own passion for battling seemed to have been ignited by Silver's as she smiled, a glint in her eye. "Slugma, I choose you!"

"Slugma, eh? Well, Corphish beat Emerald's Slugma easily, but we're saving him for last. Seviper, go!" Seviper's alternately-coloured scales shimmered oddly in the smoke as he made his appearance, hissing dangerously. Or was that just the hissing of Slugma's lava body?

"Slugma, Sunny Day!" Flannery ordered, and Slugma spat out a glowing orb that hovered over the battle-field; a clever move, considering all of her Pokemon were of the Fire type.

"Seviper, Glare!" Seviper rose up in front of Slugma, his eyes glowing and unblinking as they focused on Slugma's. Seviper began to rise up, swaying back and forth slightly like a charmed snake, still focusing on Slugma's eyes; the Fire Pokemon was completely immobilised and transfixed.

"Slugma, Smog!" Flannery ordered, but Slugma was still staring, open-mouthed, at Seviper.

"Seviper, Poison Tail! And be sure to strike him with only a little bit of your tail; he's got a fiery body that can burn you," Silver advised, remembering well how Corphish's Vicegrip had gone so horribly wrong that time. Seviper blinked, stopping his Glare now that Slugma was now well and truly Paralysed, and did as Silver commanded, sweeping his tail around and slashing Slugma with its sharp, glowing edge. The lava Pokemon was thrown backwards by the force of the blow, but he was far from defeated.

"Slugma, use Light Screen!" Flannery commanded, and Slugma created a shimmering panel in front of him, thin and transparent but able to block special attacks with ease.

"Smash it with a Bite attack! Then hit Slugma with another Poison Tail!" Seviper darted forwards, his mouth wide open and fangs gleaming, and he crashed heavily into the Light Screen, shattering it into a thousand pieces which melted away almost instantly. Then, using his momentum and swinging his body around, he slammed his tail across Slugma's cheek, forcing the creature to lose more ground. "Great job, Seviper!"

"Seviper!" Seviper preened; he was a natural born show-off.

"Slugma, use Smog to hide yourself! Then Overheat!" Silver started as Flannery gave her orders; what was Overheat? Judging by the name alone, it was a Fire type attack, and a powerful one at that. It was imperative that he either dodged or struck Slugma hard before the fire could hit home. Slugma cut short his musings by breathing out a cloud of noxious vapours, which shielded him from view. This, he knew, was a Poison attack, and would thus have very little impact on Seviper.

"Seviper, go straight into the fog and use Poison Tail!" Seviper leapt into the middle of the disgusting Smog, and Flannery and Silver both held their breaths; luckily, Seviper's speed outstripped Slugma's and the Fire Pokemon was sent flying from the cloud as yet another Poison Tail struck him. Seviper soon followed, his shiny scales making him visible even through the mist as he awaited further orders.

"Slugma, just hit with one Overheat and Seviper won't stand a chance!" Slugma regrouped himself into a more recognisable shape and gathered the necessary power.

"Seviper, dodge!" Silver cried, and Seviper scrunched himself up even further before launching up into the air like a coiled spring, allowing a massive stream of white-hot flame to pass beneath before he landed perfectly in front of his foe. Slugma was now looking tired and unfocused after his Overheat, and Silver silently thanked whoever was listening that such a mega-powerful attack hadn't struck his beloved Seviper. "One last Poison Tail!" In his weakened state, Slugma was no match for Seviper's attack, which knocked him out in a single venomous blow.

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed proudly, holding his head up high and shaking his tail victoriously as Flannery recalled Slugma.

"Seviper's a real showman. Looking at the sidelines, it's clear that you aren't going to use Combusken; a shame, as I'm sure it would have been one of my favourite battles ever. I would have thought that someone who loved Fire Pokemon as much as me would appreciate a battle of flames," Flannery said, more like her old self now, and she was wearing a sad smile again. Suddenly, she snapped herself out of it, breaking eye contact with Silver and grabbing another Pokeball. "Camerupt, go! You'll have a type advantage here," A hefty camel-like creature with orange fur and three smoking funnels on its back emerged, stamping its feet and emitting smoke from its nostrils. The Pokedex called it the Eruption Pokemon, and went on to say that lava spewed from its humps when it was angry.

"We'd better not get this big guy annoyed, then. Look out, because he's a dual Fire and Ground type," Silver said, and Seviper fixed his eyes on his snorting foe, his thin tongue tasting the air every now and again.

"Camerupt, use Tackle!" Flannery cried, and the ground shook as Camerupt thundered towards Seviper.

"Seviper, dodge! Then Poison Tail!" Seviper slipped aside like a matador as Camerupt charged at him, and sped the creature on its way with a precision Poison Tail to the backside. Unfortunately, this just made smoke shoot out of Camerupt's humps faster, as well as a small spurt of molten rock. "Uh oh... looks like he's not exactly of a delicate disposition. Use Bite!" Seviper lunged at Camerupt as the creature turned around bulkily, snapping his jaws shut on one of Camerupt's fluttering ears. Camerupt bellowed, his eyes snapping shut with pain, and staggered backwards, dragging Seviper along with him as his whole body flinched from the sting of pain. "Perfect position for a Wrap, I think!" Silver continued, capitalising on Camerupt's inability to fight back, and Seviper's wrapped his sinuous body around his foe, still latched onto the ear as he tried to crush his enemy's health away with his lustrous coils.

"Camerupt, slam yourself onto the ground with Tackle to dislodge Seviper!" Flannery ordered, and Camerupt picked up speed before slamming himself onto the ground. Seviper was loosened by the double-edged attack, and the Fire Pokemon shook him free and got to his huge feet unsteadily.

"Seviper, are you alright?" Silver asked, and immediately Seviper was scrunched up again, looking at his foe with unpredictable eyes. "That was a brilliant combination of moves, but Camerupt will be wise to it now. Try another Poison Tail, to see if we can get him ill," Seviper lunged forwards and slammed his glowing tail directly between Camerupt's eyes, causing them to water with pain as the camel Pokemon staggered backwards.

"Don't worry, Camerupt! Now that he's up close like I planned, you can use Attract!" Flannery said, and looked over at Silver for approval. However, Silver was flat out on the floor, stunned by the revelation. How could a big, ugly Camerupt know Attract? It just didn't fit. He pulled himself up, remembering how Miltank's Attract had resulted in Drowzee getting flattened in the Goldenrod City Gym, and he saw that he was too late. Somehow, someway, it seemed that Seviper was now in love with Camerupt.

"Wait... he's a _she_? I would never have picked up on it. Seviper, snap out of it, a relationship between you two would never work out," Silver said impatiently, but Seviper was now curled up, his head resting on his coils as he looked over, misty-eyed, to the object of his devotion. Flannery laughed lightly, her face full of mirth as she looked from Seviper to Silver.

"Don't worry. Seviper's feelings will only be temporary. Lucky for him..." she said wistfully, and quite unnecessarily it seemed to Silver, as he already had experience of the attack. Was she trying to drop some sort of subtle hint? Trying to spark off a way of resisting in his mind? If so, it was too subtle for him to even work out what it was she wanted, so he focused on the battle again.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" he ordered, but Seviper looked over at him, smiling blearily as if he hadn't taken in a word.

"Camerupt, Magnitude!" Flannery said, and Camerupt stamped her feet heavily, creating a shockwave that slammed into Seviper with incredible force. A super-effective attack against a foe who wasn't resisting was always going to turn out well for the attacker, and this case was no exception.

"Seviper, return. You were really good, actually. Better than I even expected. Slugma didn't stand a chance. Zangoose, finish off Camerupt for me! You're too level-headed to be influenced by Attract, after all," he said with a faint tone of pleading in his voice, recalling Seviper and sending out the Cat Ferret to have his first taste of battle.

"This is a really interesting combination. I've never seen Seviper and Zangoose in the same team before," Flannery said, but the expected warning or criticism didn't come.

"Zangoose, are you up for it?" Silver asked, and Zangoose nodded, raising his claws. "Start off with Swords Dance!" Zangoose span on the spot opposite Camerupt, his huge talons gleaming as the move raised his attack power hugely.

"Camerupt... huh?" Flannery said as the Gym suddenly got darker, and they realised that Slugma's Sunny Day had finally worn off. "OK, change of plan. Camerupt, Sunny Day!" A small sun popped out of Camerupt's middle hump, floating over the battle-field and raising the Pokemon's Fire type attacks. Silver had had too much experience of Sunny Day to say the least.

"Keep going with Swords Dance, Zangoose. May as well take our chance," Silver said, and Zangoose agilely pulled off the move again, meaning that a single blow from his claws could be deadly.

"Camerupt, Magnitude!" Camerupt stamped her feet again, and a much smaller shockwave than before sped towards Zangoose.

"You can survive that, Zangoose. Keep up that Swords Dance..." Silver said, and Zangoose gritted his teeth as the shockwave rolled over him, although he managed to keep his footing and finish off his deadly dance.

"Camerupt, Magnitude again! We need to keep Zangoose at a distance," Flannery warned, and Camerupt sent out a larger shockwave this time.

"Zangoose, the Pokedex says you have dazzling agility, so let's see some of it. Jump up to dodge, then use Quick Attack!" Zangoose leapt upwards and easily evaded the Magnitude, before lancing down into a charge, a silver trail glowing behind him as he slammed into Camerupt. The Swords Dance made Quick Attack far more powerful than it usually would have been, and Camerupt was actually knocked off its feet by the blow. "Yes! That was brilliant!" Zangoose smiled and raised a claw, still focusing on Camerupt as the Eruption Pokemon clambered to her feet.

"Camerupt, Zangoose is a boy too, I think. Use Attract!" As usual, nothing seemed to happen, but the real test would be whether Zangoose would collapse into a soppy heap and be unable to attack or defend. For a moment, Zangoose's expression seemed to shift, but when Silver took a closer look he was his usual calm self, gazing over at Camerupt as if daring her to attack seriously.

"Zangoose, Slash!" Zangoose pattered over to Camerupt and delivered a sharp, critical, massively damaging uppercut with his claws that took Camerupt under the chin, lifting her up off the ground as her body went limp. The whole stadium shuddered as she landed in a useless heap.

"Camerupt, return. You defeated Seviper, and you damaged Zangoose too, so rest easy. Torkoal, come on out!" Flannery replaced Camerupt with a tortoise-like creature, which was blowing streams of white smoke from its nostrils and a hole on the back of its shell. Silver need look no further for the cause of the Gym's haze.

"Zangoose, your Swords Dance has made you practically unstoppable. One more Slash and this will all be history," Zangoose darted forwards, bringing his arm back to deal a terrible strike probably able to cripple a Pokemon with twice Torkoal's ability.

"They talk about unstoppable attacks, eh? Torkoal, show them what unstoppable means with Overheat!" As Zangoose drew closer, Torkoal opened his mouth and breathed out a frankly incredible wall of fire, burning so brightly white that Silver had to cover his eyes. When the glare died down, it seemed Zangoose had been hit full-on; struck by a Sunny Day-powered attack which would be the pride of any Fire Pokemon's arsenal, he stood no chance, and his many Swords Dances were wasted.

"Zangoose, return. Even though you did get beaten in one hit, you gave me an indication of how strong Torkoal is. I'm sure your Swords Dance will prove useful later on, anyway, judging by how easily you beat Camerupt. Corphish, clean this one up for me!" Corphish clashed his pincers happily as he glared over at Torkoal, who was emitting vast amounts of smoke as he recovered from his massive attack.

"Torkoal, Body Slam!" Flannery ordered, and Torkoal lumbered forwards, picking up speed with every step as he prepared to slam himself into Corphish with all of his strength.

"Corphish, Harden! Then Vicegrip!" Silver knew that now was probably not the best time to test Corphish's resilience, but he needed to be unexpected to get a quick win, before Flannery could unleash Overheat again. Corphish gleamed as his shell grew exceptionally hard, and he was only shoved backwards as Torkoal bodily thumped into him with incredible momentum. Then the Water Pokemon did what Silver had hoped and grabbed Torkoal around his long neck in an iron grip.

"Torkoal, no! Withdraw!" Flannery said as Torkoal gulped and struggled, and the Fire Pokemon drew everything back inside his shell... except for his head, because Corphish wasn't letting go. In fact, the Water Pokemon was tugging on it, as if he wanted to wrench it completely off the body. Torkoal cried out in pain as his master dithered, wondering what to do.

"Corphish, Knock Off! Then Bubblebeam!" Silver took advantage of her confusion, and Corphish released Torkoal's head, only to whack him heavily on the skull with a hammer-like claw. As Torkoal's neck swayed dizzily, the Fire Pokemon was blasted away by a stream of powerful bubbles which actually knocked him onto his back. His legs and head waved feebly as he tried to right himself, but like all tortoises he was completely helpless in his position. "Good one, Corphish," Silver encouraged, and Corphish waved his pincers, ready for more fighting.

"Torkoal, swivel towards Corphish! But stop struggling; stay as you are," Flannery said, and Silver was put on his guard again. She was somehow going to use his own tactic against him, a strategy which he thought he had monopolised, but how could she? Torkoal was, to all intents and purposes, a sitting duck.

"Corphish, spin Torkoal around with a Knock Off, then see if he's so keen to stay where he is," Corphish scurried over and slammed his claw against Torkoal's head, making the creature revolve on the spot crazily like a Hitmontop. "Now get back over here. Prepare for a Bubblebeam," Silver said, and Corphish reluctantly crawled back over, raising a claw to spray Torkoal with bubbles again at a moment's notice. Eventually, Torkoal slowed down and stopped, although his legs were limp and his eyes were rolling. However, he hadn't fainted just yet; he was just dizzy. Thin wisps of black smoke were seeping from his nostrils, but Silver just took this as a sign of weakness or fatigue. "Now's the time for that Bubblebeam," Silver ordered, and Corphish unleashed the attack he had been saving up especially for this occasion.

"Torkoal, Withdraw. And stay there for a while," Flannery said relaxedly, making Silver even more quietly frustrated as Torkoal's limbs and head vanished inside his shell, letting the Bubblebeam bounce off his shell to minimal effect. What was Torkoal's angle? He wasn't going to win like this. Perhaps he wanted to enrage Corphish, who was admittedly looking annoyed, and make the Water Pokemon waste his strength against his unfeeling shell.

"Corphish, don't attack. Wait for him to come to us," Silver advised, and though it was against his very nature Corphish stayed still, tapping his claws impatiently against the ground.

"I think that's long enough. Torkoal, Overheat!" Flannery commanded after a while, and Torkoal span on the spot to align himself with Corphish before blowing out another huge sheet of roiling fire. It didn't seem to be quite as strong as the other one, but it was nothing to ignore nonetheless.

"Corphish, counter it with Bubblebeam!" Silver ordered, and Corphish sent out a flurry of bubbles to deaden the impact slightly, letting the rest of the fire wash over him and singe his shell. He shook himself down as the fire died away, and although he was blackened, he was still ready to fight. Silver wiped his brow in relief as he saw his tactic pay off.

"Torkoal nearly constantly emits hot smoke. In that position, it couldn't escape from his back, only his nostrils. Making him Withdraw, I let the hot smoke build up and power up Overheat to a higher level than it normally would be. Plus, the surge of smoke given off after the attack blasted him back onto his feet," Flannery eagerly explained her tactic as Torkoal snorted, upright once more and emitting a sound like a locomotive as smoke poured from his back and nostrils.

"Wow. I must admit, that was really clever. One of the best uses of a Pokemon I've ever seen," Silver said, more wary of Flannery by the minute. Flannery, however, was beaming happily, her cheeks slightly red. "It doesn't mean I'm going to hold back, though. Judging by your words, Overheat gets less and less powerful over time. That, added to _that_..." Silver indicated the Sunny Day, which had flickered out of existence seconds before, "Means that Torkoal's only special attack is going to be on a pretty low burner, if you'll excuse the pun. As well as that, Overheat obviously requires some time to recover from. Corphish, Bubblebeam!"

"Torkoal, no!" Flannery cried as Torkoal was hammered by a hail of exploding bubbles, forcing his legs to collapse under him. His heavy shell made the ground tremble as he fell to the floor, beaten.

"Yes! Corphish, it may not have been the most graceful of finishers, but it certainly did the job!" Silver cried.

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish cried, waving his claws delightedly.

"Torkoal, return. Silver, I have something for you..." Flannery said, her face still glowing red as she smiled and walked over. He pressed a flame-shaped badge into his hand, clasping it in both of her unusually cool ones.

"Er... thanks. Scott, take a look at this! Wait 'til I tell Crystal!" he said happily, pulling his hand loose and waving his badge in Scott's face.

"Crystal? Who's Crystal?" Flannery asked, her voice no longer confident and happy.

"Oh, she's my best friend. She lives in Johto, but we still manage to stay together somehow," Silver replied, smiling as he pinned his bade to his shirt. Flannery attempted her own smile as her hands fell limply to her sides.

"Oh. OK then," she said awkwardly.

"Let's go, Silver," Scott said, picking up on the atmosphere even if Silver didn't.

"Huh? OK, if you're that short of time. Bye, Flannery. You're a really great Fire Pokemon Trainer. Thanks for the battle," Silver said as Scott dragged him away, and Flannery smiled properly this time.

"Thanks, Silver. That means a lot, especially from you. Remember if you ever need me, I'll always be waiting right here in Lavaridge," Silver allowed Scott to drag him outside as he puzzled over that statement; what could he need her for, other than a re-match? Then it hit him like a runaway locomtive, and once again he was floored with shock, making a silent promise to himself to leave that particular fact out when he gave Crystal a blow-by-blow account of his Gym battle.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 25**

"What's the big deal?" Scott snapped impatiently as they made their way over to the Pokemon Centre. "So she had feelings for you. So what? Remember Erika?" Silver shivered as he recalled the Gym Leader from Celadon City whom he had once had a crush on, until Crystal slapped it out of him of course.

"I know, but... this is different. What if she held back her true power? What if she wanted me to win?" Silver replied.

"Both of us know that isn't true. She battled her hardest to prove herself to you,"

"Don't make me feel any worse than I already do. It's not nice to reject somebody, even when I didn't know what I was doing. But she'll move on, right? She'll find someone else,"

"Look, I'm cutting out whilst I still can. Feelings and stuff like that aren't my forte. I'll see you in Petalburg for a very special Gym battle," Scott smiled.

"Oh yeah! Now I've got four badges, I can challenge Dad! Man, that'll be so weird... But aren't you angry at me for already knowing the Gym Leader?" he said sarcastically.

"As he's family, I'll let you off. See you there!"

"Bye! See you later, Hypno," Hypno flashed him a thumbs-up before trailing after his sunglasses-wearing master at his usual relaxed pace. Silver, alone now as he strolled towards the Pokemon Centre, was once again troubled with deep thoughts about true love and love at first sight. It was a terrible sensation to know he had shattered someone's feelings and perhaps denied them what he had with Crystal. If he could, he'd be with Flannery too, to make her happy, but he trembled with fear as he imagined himself caught between the two girls, getting roasted by Torkoal and otherwise thrashed by Heracross. He was so wrapped up in this horrible image that he actually crashed into someone. "Oops! Sorry, I.. Oh, it's you," he said, disgruntled, as he came back to himself and saw Emerald standing there.

"That's how we first met, remember? You were walking into Goldenrod's Gym, and you just walked slap-bang into me. Parasects obviously don't change their spots," Emerald replied. None of her Pokemon were outside of their Pokeballs, and she looked tougher than ever, as if her journey had honed her somewhat.

"Why do you only appear when I'm emotionally fragile? Is it some sort of instinct, or what?" he muttered.

"Emotionally fragile, yeah right. Did someone take your rattle? Anyway, I'm not here to engage in doubtlessly intellectual and witty conversation. I'm here to give you these," She handed him a pair of thick-set goggles. "They're called Go-Goggles. You know that sandstorm on Route 111? You can walk right through it, providing you can stand the feeling of sand in your clothes for about a week afterwards,"

"Wow. Thanks. What's brought on this unexpected generosity?" Silver said, testing the goggles and strapping them to his head.

"And I thought you couldn't look any sillier. What monster have I created?" Emerald laughed. "Anyway, I was just waiting for you to beat Flannery. I got these in a buy one get one free deal, and I thought you could use the second pair. Just think of it as a present. Caught any new Pokemon? I can tell your Nincada evolved, from Mr. Creepy over there," she pointed to Shedinja casually.

"Thanks for the present, but can we never just get the generosity without insults thrown in? Anyway, I've caught two new Pokemon, actually," Silver said smugly, before stopping himself; what would she say when she found he had caught two Pokemon who hated each other on principal?

"Yes? Are you going to expand on that, or are you going to leave me hanging?" Emerald said impatiently.

"Tell me what new ones you've caught first," Silver replied, stalling for time.

"Whoever thought a Pokemon journey would make you more mature was woefully incorrect, I see. I'm not in the mood right now for a battle, having just had some much-deserved rest time in the hot springs, so I'll catch you later. My next stop is Norman; d'you reckon I can beat daddy?" she said innocently.

"If I can beat you without a problem, he'll flatten you with one Pokemon," Silver taunted. "Don't get your hopes up for a fifth badge, Emerald. You'll still be trying for it when I've been the Champion for several years,"

"Oh really? Champion of losers maybe, but never Pokemon Champion,"

"Maturity was never your strong point either, was it?"

"Pokemon's my strong point. Isn't it a pity that you're weak in that area, too," Emerald said, countering his insult with a viciously barbed one of her own before stalking off.

"Some days just keep getting worse. What next, am I going to be jumped by Team Rocket, back from the dead?" Silver grumbled, pushing open the door to the Pokemon Centre and walking inside to check in his Pokemon. As Corphish, Zangoose and Seviper had their injuries treated, Combusken and Breloom played happily together in the garden whilst Silver planned a route back to Petalburg City. It was incredibly weird to think he was actually eligible to battle his own father; he didn't even know if he'd be able to when the time came. But he had to, if he wanted to keep his dream of becoming Champion alive. He already knew his father trained the Normal type, due to the fact that they had only one weakness; Fighting types. According to Norman, even this weakness could be patched up if the Trainer was devoted and skilled enough. Combusken would need to be on top form to unleash some Double Kick fury on Norman's Pokemon, as well as Breloom and his Mach Punch. His best bet was to travel east of Lavaridge, continuing down the mountain until he reached Fallarbor again. Then he could cut south through the desert until he got to Slateport City, and catch a ferry or two to get back to Petalburg. After that would come the battle for his fifth Gym badge of Hoenn. When his Pokemon were returned to him, as good as new, he started off on the long journey back to Petalburg. Many people spared him odd looks, as he still wore the Go-Goggles, but he was focusing on his troubles so much that he didn't even notice when a kid pointed at him and laughed. Seviper and Zangoose were still staying away from each other, but outright hostility had lessened, which was a triumph in itself in Silver's eyes. After reaching Fallarbor Town again, Silver retraced his route south and eventually reached the desert of Route 111. "Return, everyone. None of you are safe from that sandstorm, so I don't want any of you to get hurt," he said, and everyone got sucked back into their Pokeballs; not before a disappointed,

"Corphish," however. Silver shook his head, wondering why he was saddled with such an impossible to please group, before adjusting his goggles and striding into the heart of the sandstorm. The soft sand beneath his feet was warm, as if heated from below, but luckily the airborne grit wasn't too hot. As Emerald had said, it seeped into his clothing, hair and mouth, but the Go-Goggles protected his eyes and miraculously allowed him to pierce the cloud and stop him tripping over rocks and boulders. There didn't seem to be anybody else in the desert, but there were a profusion of Pokemon; small brown creatures with huge bear-trap heads which the Pokedex labelled as Trapinch, a Ground type. Once, and only once, he spotted what he thought was some sort of Grass Pokemon, but it melted into the sandstorm before he could get a fix on it. What stunned him beyond the weird experience of being in the heart of an eternal sandstorm was that there seemed to be some sort of tower close by, made entirely of desert debris, but it seemed to shift in and out of focus depending where he was and how the wind blew. It wasn't on the Pokenav's map, and it flickered and shimmered like some sort of mirage tower. He gave up trying to get inside as it vanished whenever he tried to approach, so eventually he conceded defeat and continued south to Mauville. Stopping off in the Pokemon Centre to wash and clear the sand from his clothes, he realised that because of the detour he still had a lot of the day left; he could easily make Petalburg by nightfall. By midday he reached Slateport City, but unfortunately for him the only boats that went directly to Petalburg left early tomorrow morning.

"Hmm... Maybe if we get to Dewford Town, there'll be a boat from there," he wondered aloud, with a faint hint of desperation in his voice as he realised that if he was wrong he'd be stranded in Marshtomp-ville for a whole other day. After boarding the earliest ship he could and finding a private spot on deck, he released his Pokemon to play and called first his mother, then Crystal, then Wally to tell them all about his victory in Lavaridge Town Gym and the odd desert he had traversed through. When he and Wally hung up, he tapped a few more buttons, and he chewed his lip nervously as he knew the only person left to call; Norman. Before he could talk himself out of it, he shut his eyes and pressed the button, hearing the phone ring a couple of times before his father picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad. It's me, Silver,"

"Good afternoon. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"I just phoned to say I've just beaten Flannery and gained my fourth Hoenn badge," Silver replied after a second's hesitation.

"Ah. I see. I must confess I've been looking forward to this day ever since I heard you agreed to move to Littleroot Town; as I'm sure you're aware, I myself am your next challenge. Emerald's too, when she arrives,"

"That's what I'm worried about. As I learned from my battle with Crystal, battling with friends and family isn't usually very fun,"

"Pokemon battles can be fun sometimes, but most of the time they should be serious. We're battling with real creatures who can get badly hurt; creatures so close to us, they begin to feel like parts of us. Being overly jolly in battle is a sign of overconfidence or weakness; it means you can't or won't comprehend what's at stake. I personally will take you on like any other challenger, as it's the least we both deserve. If we show favouritism, it just degrades both of us. Just imagine me to be another Trainer you've faced before, one whom you feel ambivalent to. That way, you can keep a cool head and battle to your true ability. That's what I'll do with you, and perhaps with Emerald too,"

"Thanks, Dad. I'll do my best. But make sure you beat Emerald, OK? If you hold back, I'll never forgive you," Norman laughed.

"Of course I won't. Anyway, I want to hear all about your battle with Flannery. Tell me how Seviper and Zangoose are doing," Silver relayed the necessary facts, but his heart was elsewhere, brooding on his father's words. They made sense, but would they be easy to pull off? Eventually he'd have to face Slakoth, to whom he had been close, and to all intents and purposes unrelentingly knock the stuffing out of him. When his father eventually put the phone down, Silver sat in silence, watching his Pokemon thoughtfully. Norman would be a formidable foe, that was for sure. Were they up to it? Having two Pokemon with a type advantage was a good help, but something told him he'd need something more. Norman had trained with his Pokemon for years now, fighting off challengers and growing stronger and stronger. The Gym Leader and his Pokemon had bonds that would equal, if not exceed, Silver's incredibly close ties with his old team. Of course he liked his current team, and knew that they all had a lot of potential as friends and warriors, but he could never stop missing his old friends. Even Hypno, with whom he had parted ways on his Johto journey and whom he saw quite regularly, was always missed. He'd give the world to cry out 'Typhlosion, Flamethrower!' just one last time in a proper battle. Then again, he knew that his old team would have probably destroyed Hoenn's Gyms with ease, being so experienced a powerful. A journey like this, making new friends and experiencing new Pokemon, was a sure way of expanding his knowledge of battling. Anyhow, it wasn't so bad shouting 'Combusken, Double Kick!' instead. And it wasn't like his old team was completely free of weirdness itself. Whether Gengar could compete with Corphish on this level was debatable, but Silver felt in that very second that no matter how odd or different or conflicting his Pokemon were, no matter how they fought or frustrated him, they were always willing to battle with him and for him. They were always there to comfort or reassure him, and provide a friendly face and support. Like Norman said, the creatures almost felt like a part of him now. They had been through so much together already, he pledged that Norman or no Norman he'd not let it all go to waste.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 26**

Silver walked across the beach, feeling more nervous than ever as he walked towards the small hut. He had disembarked the boat from Dewford Town just minutes ago, and was mere minutes away from Petalburg, but he felt like he needed something to steady his nerves. Thus, he decided to drop in on Mr. Briney, the old sailor, and thank him for his generosity earlier in his journey. Anything to delay the fateful battle with Norman. He had spent the rest of yesterday training and spent the night in Dewford, catching the earliest possible boat to Petalburg to escape the land of 'Marshtomp Thanks' as soon as he could. He still wasn't sure whether this had been wise, as the only things keeping him awake at the minute were nerves and sea air.

"Come out, everyone. Corphish, move to the front, Mr. Briney likes you. We're going to battle Dad later today, but at the minute we're just relaxing, to help us get in the right frame of mind, OK?" Silver released his Pokemon outside Mr. Briney's door and addressed them anxiously.

"Corphish," Corphish snapped impatiently, tapping the sand with his claws; clearly he didn't want to waste time with old acquaintances and wanted to get to the battle with Norman as soon as possible.

"Corphish, please. If you want to battle today, you can, but I just have to work up to it, OK?" Corphish rolled his eyes and scuttled over to the wooden front door, hammering on it with his trademark Knock Off to arouse whoever lay within.

"Hello? Who wants old Mr. Briney at this time of day?" a hoarse voice called. There were footsteps from within, before the door opened and the haggard old sailor stood there, Peeko on his shoulder as usual. "Ah, it's my old friend Silver! And his courageous Corphish, too! What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I just wanted a chat, really. I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd stop by," Silver explained.

"Well, come in, come in! You can introduce these new boys to me and Peeko, too!" he said jovially, waving them all inside and glancing at Shedinja, Zangoose and Seviper. In fact, Corphish was the only one who hadn't changed since their last meeting, which was lucky really. The inside of the hut was almost laughably stereotypical of an old sailor's residence; it was small and cramped, seemingly made of driftwood, and the smell of salt water and seaweed pervaded the air. Nets and fishing rods hung from the walls, as well as charms and talismans superstitious people often carried around. There was some sort of barbecue, which he probably used to grill the catch of the day, as well as some crudely carved items of furniture that were nevertheless strangely comfortable. Peeko the Wingull and Silver's Pokemon played outside on the beach, where they were in eyeshot of their masters, whilst Silver and Mr. Briney drank lemonade and water respectively.

"How are things going here? Is your ship still running?"

"Aye, she's fine. But things are getting a bit hectic down at Slateport; they want my recommendations at the Shipyard, so I'm always back and forth from there to here. Shouldn't complain, really; the sea's my life, and helping others enjoy it can only be good. How're you and the boys?"

"We're fine, thanks. Well, the usual drama and chaos, but nothing we can't handle together," Mr. Briney laughed.

"Chaos is a word, alright. Seviper and Zangoose, together? In all of my days at sea, I've never seen such a sight,"

"I'm trying to make a breakthrough, to be honest. I didn't mean to catch old enemies, but now that I have I'm going to try and heal the rift. Make them friends,"

"It's a tough job alright, but I've faced tougher. Did I tell you about the time I chased the Golden Magikarp from Lilycove to..." At this point, Silver's mind switched off, and as the old sailor talked at him his mind was unable to move from the challenge ahead. Was he up to it? Well, he defeated the Elite Four of Kanto and Johto, but that had been with his old team, who had all worked exceptionally well together. With this team, he had beaten half of the Hoenn Gyms, so he guessed that was something. But would they ever make a true team? A seamless fighting force which he could switch between at will, knowing each would try as hard as the last? Only time would tell. He still had one last spot in his team, too, so perhaps he could catch a Pokemon that would complement the others perfectly and forge them into a great team. When Mr. Briney finally finished his long and pointless tale of the Golden Magikarp and how it had escaped him, he surreptitiously pressed a button on his Pokenav, making it emit its piercing alarm. Mr. Briney jumped and upset his cup of water, looking stunned and gazing around for the source of the noise.

"Don't worry, it was just my Pokenav. I'm really sorry to have to run out on you, but I'm sort of on a time limit," Silver said, hoping he wasn't being too rude. "My Dad's expecting me at the Gym,"

"Ah, so that's why you seemed so preoccupied! Battling your father, eh? Never an easy task. But I'm sure you'll be able to do it; you saved Peeko, didn't you? If you've got to hurry, then before you go, let me just wish you good luck for the future," he clasped Silver's hand in a wrinkled, weathered handshake. "I'm sure we'll meet again sometime. Be sure to pop in and say hello whenever you're in the area,"

"I will. Thanks for the luck, I'm sure I'll need it. Good luck with your work in Slateport," Silver said his goodbye to Mr. Briney and was escorted to the door, waving to the sailor before trekking across the beach to his Pokemon. "Time to go, guys. Bye, Peeko. Look after your master," Peeko shrieked loudly and flapped away, diving through the window of the hut and disappearing from view. "How are you all? Feeling up to battling?" Silver looked over them all nervously, checking for injuries or unhappiness that would affect their battle performance.

"Breloom!" Breloom said happily, hopping up and down and swinging his tail around excitedly.

"Combusken," It was at times like this that Silver appreciated the Fire Pokemon's serious attitude.

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish cried, and scuttled off, heading in completely the wrong direction but getting his point across nonetheless.

"Seviper," Seviper hissed, rubbing up against Silver lovingly, smiling happily.

"Zangoose," Zangoose finished, looking slightly annoyed about the attention Seviper was giving and receiving but showing that he was up for anything anyway.

"Thanks. To all of you. I think, if we apply ourselves, we can win this battle with no problems. Corphish, come back!" Silver gave them a short pep talk before chasing after Corphish, pointing him in the right direction of Petalburg City before following in his excitable wake. The rest of the Pokemon followed behind quietly, all preparing for battle in their own separate ways. Soon they had reached Petalburg City itself, and Silver's nerves were peaking. The walk to the Gym seemed to take forever, walking quickly after Corphish through the near-empty streets and contemplating giving it all up more than once. Then, all too soon, the building loomed up in front of them, and Silver found to his surprise that his hand was already on the doorknob, pushing the door open. His legs took a mind of their own and carried him inside as he recalled his Pokemon in silence. For some reason, Scott and Hypno, whom he had completely forgotten about, were already in conversation with his father, who was talking as if he was with an old friend. However, they broke off their conversation as they saw Silver approach.

"Silver! How are you? Ready for another Gym battle so soon after your fourth one?" Scott said excitedly. Silver made to reply, but he found his mouth was dry, so he just nodded.

"Good afternoon, Silver. Today is the day you challenge me for the Balancebadge. Are you OK?" Norman asked concernedly, walking over, shaking Silver's hand and looking into his eyes. Silver looked away quickly.

"Yeah... I'm fine," he mumbled. "Er... Scott... would you mind just... waiting outside? I don't know if I can do this with spectators," he continued, looking at Scott and hoping that he conveyed his apologies through his gaze. Scott looked surprised, but then he smiled and nodded, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Of course. I'll wait over in the Pokemon Centre with Hypno. Let's go, buddy," Hypno gave Silver and thumbs-up of support before the two of them left, leaving Norman, Silver and Shedinja in the Gym alone.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Norman asked again, and Silver nodded. The break the silence, he asked,

"How many each?"

"Three. Are you ready to begin?" Silver nodded again as they took their positions opposite each other. "Slaking, I choose you!" Norman released a huge, gorilla-like Pokemon that was lying on its side lazily, scratching its belly and yawning as if it had nothing to fear. The Pokedex informed him that this was the final evolution of Slakoth.

"Slakoth! Wow, you've evolved twice since I last saw you! You look so big and strong now..." Silver said, happily remembering the limp and splayed-out Slakoth whom he had spent hours with in his early childhood.

"This is an official Gym battle, Silver," Norman reminded him.

"Oh, right... Breloom, I choose you!" Breloom appeared to face Slaking, launching a few testing jabs as he prepared for his first Gym battle. "Start off with a Mach Punch!" Breloom sped forwards, bringing back his arm to deal a super-quick blow to Slaking's face.

"Slaking, Counter!" Norman ordered, and at the last second, Slaking glowed with a red aura; Breloom's own attack was bounced back against him at double the damage, throwing him backwards as he cried out in pain.

"Breloom, no! Are you OK?" Silver asked, his heart thumping as he remembered Wobbuffet's Counter and its incredible power.

"Breloom," Breloom said, rubbing his head as he climbed to his feet. However, he took up another battle position and seemed ready for more.

"Great! Hit him with Stun Spore!" Breloom leapt up and over Slaking, dousing him with orange spores that coated his fur like a second skin. For some reason, neither Norman nor Slaking did anything about it; Slaking actually yawned and scratched his belly again.

"Slaking, Facade!" Norman commanded eventually, as Breloom got back into position, and Slaking lurched forwards as a slight orange aura the same colour as the Stun Spore surrounded him; he impacted into Breloom with incredible power, slamming the mushroom Pokemon away with a brutal charge. "Facade doubles in power if there's a Status condition. You'd do well to remember that," Norman said as Breloom stumbled back up.

"Uh oh... We'll have to be quick here, Breloom. Get ready for a Mega Drain, and see if he can Counter that!" Breloom started zapping Slaking with health-draining bolts, slowing sucking away his vitality.

"Slaking, they'll have to do much better than that. Faint Attack!" Slaking vanished, before reappearing behind a stunned Breloom and smashing into him from behind, knocking him forwards. "Finish off with Facade!"

"Breloom, dodge!" Silver cried, but as Breloom staggered to his feet, the huge gorilla slammed into him again, sending him flying. When he landed, his eyes were rolling and his limbs and tail were completely limp. "No! It can't be! Breloom, please get up!" Breloom was too far gone to hear his words, and Silver recalled him, disturbed. He had never had such a quick knock-out before.

"Slaking's attack power is perhaps one of the highest in the entire world, as you can see. You'll have to connect far more with your Pokemon if you want a chance at victory," Norman admonished him.

"Corphish, I choose you! We'll see how long Slaking's attack power can save him from defeat, right?"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, clashing his pincers.

"Start off with a Bubblebeam!" Corphish blasted a stream of bubbles at Slaking, who was pushed backwards, grunting in discomfort. "Yes! That hurt him!"

"Slaking, Yawn!" Slaking opened his mouth and emitted a huge yawn, which was repeated by Corphish seconds later. The Water Pokemon suddenly seemed drowsy, and he was stumbling around, trying to stay awake.

"Corphish, snap out of it! Another Bubblebeam will teach him a lesson!" Silver cried, but he was too late; Corphish was flat out, snoring quietly.

"Slaking, Facade!" Norman ordered, and Slaking powered into a massive tackle, still surrounded by his orange aura. Corphish was thrown backwards, battered but thankfully not defeated yet. "He's still asleep! Faint Attack!" Norman continued as the Water Pokemon ignored his master's pleas. Slaking vanished from his position, reappearing above Corphish and hammering him with two massive fists at once. Silver's hands trembled worse than ever as he recalled the defeated Pokemon and fumbled for his final one. Norman still had three left, and Slaking was immensely powerful. Was Combusken up to the challenge?

"Combusken, let's go! Get ready for some dodging, because Slaking's a powerhouse," Combusken nodded silently, preparing for battle.

"This is our last opponent, Slaking. Defeat him, and we win," Norman said, and Slaking beat his chest, roaring terrifyingly as he roused himself from his sleepy state.

"Combusken, start off with an Ember!" Combusken breathed fire at Slaking, who covered his face as it washed over him painfully.

"Slaking, Facade!" Norman countered, and Slaking rumbled forwards.

"Jump! Then Double Kick!" Combusken leapt upwards, dodging Slaking's charge before landing on the Pokemon's head, battering him with two powerful kicks at once.

"Slaking, Faint Attack!" Slaking vanished from beneath Combusken, who fell to the floor, momentarily shocked. The Fire Pokemon was slammed off his feet as Slaking appeared again behind him, ramming him with a shoulder charge. "Now Facade!"

"Combusken, dodge again!" Combusken jumped aside with his powerful legs, barely avoiding Slaking's attack. "Double Kick!" Combusken raced in from behind, getting ready to pound Slaking's broad back with his feet.

"Slaking, Counter!" Norman cried, and just as Combusken's Double Kick hit home, Slaking's red aura bounced the attack straight back where it came from. Combusken struggled against the aura for a second, but he couldn't compete with his own doubled power, and was not only floored but defeated too, splayed out on his back.

"Combusken!" Silver yelled, running over to his final Pokemon. The Fire Pokemon quickly regained consciousness, but he had undoubtedly been beaten. "Are you OK? You did great," Silver said sympathetically, cradling the Fire Pokemon's head in his arms.

"Combusken," Combusken said tiredly, attempting a smile.

"Slaking, return. You did as well as ever. Silver, come here for a moment. Recall Combusken; he's tired and needs rest," Norman said. Silver returned Combusken and walked over, feeling embarrassment, shame and disappointment wash over him all at once. "You can challenge me again tomorrow. Until then, train, relax and think. That last one's the most important. Think about why you lost. You are dismissed," Norman said curtly, and Silver walked out of the Gym, his head bowed as his insides felt like they shrivelled up. He had lost. After all this time, after all this mental and physical training, he had been beaten not by a Champion, not by an Elite Four member, but by a Gym Leader. Worse, his father. And he hadn't even put up a good fight. Slaking could have probably beaten his whole team on his own. Why was that? Why hadn't he had the crucial bond that had served him so well, in this incredibly important battle? He had a feeling that the root of it came down to family. Norman had been able to ignore the fact that they were father and son, whilst Silver hadn't, and so his concentration and resolve had been irreparably damaged. He walked to the Pokemon Centre slowly, consumed in these horrible thoughts, and met Scott in the garden.

"What's up? You didn't... Oh, Silver, don't worry. It's just one battle," Scott said, running his hand through his hair distractedly.

"I know, but... this is the one battle I wanted to win, to prove myself. Dad knew as soon as he saw me that I wasn't committed enough to it, and he destroyed me with one Pokemon. Talk about 'tough love' parenting..." Silver sighed, looking up at the sky. His Pokemon had been given to the nurses to check up on and heal, and thus it was only he, Shedinja, Scott and Hypno languishing in deck-chairs.

"You're right, it was about love. He could see you weren't up for it just yet, so he ended it as quickly as possible. To prove a point, I think. Well, as he said that you should have the rest of the day to think and train and whatever, I'll take my leave. I'll see you tomorrow, outside the Gym. See you,"

"Bye," Silver replied miserably, watching his friend leave. He gazed up at the clouds that scudded slowly over the blue sky, sighing and unable to stop reliving his defeat. Normally he was the one dishing out such damage, but for once he was on the receiving end, and it wasn't very nice. Part of him wanted to call Crystal or his mother, or even Wally, for some sympathy, but in the end he knew that wouldn't help. But what did he need? What vital element was he missing? His reverie was broken as he felt something land on the back of his chair. Wondering whether someone else's Pokemon had come over to investigate him, he turned slowly, smiling understandingly. However, all of his expectations were thrown out the window as he saw who was really perching there. "Noctowl!" Silver cried. "What are you doing here, buddy? Long time no see!" Noctowl wrapped his wings around Silver awkwardly as his master hugged him tightly, hooting with pleasure. "Are the rest of the gang here?" he asked, but Noctowl shook his head and held up a leg. There was a parcel and a letter strapped to it. "What's this?" He took the parcel and saw Crystal's handwriting on it, and his mother's handwriting was on the note. "Noctowl post, eh? Weird. Sorry about Mum, I didn't think she'd use you as a workhorse. Or work-owl, I guess. So, how are things going?"

"Towl," Noctowl replied knowledgeably, and Silver knew things were just fine back at home.

"Is everyone OK? Is Gengar still mischievous, and Wobbuffet still... uh... Wobbuffet?" Noctowl nodded, smiling happily at his master's enthusiasm, before flapping his wings and taking off. "Got to get back home and report to the slave-driver? I understand. Well, thanks, Noctowl! It really made my day to see you,"

"Towl!" Noctowl hooted back, doing a lap of the garden before flapping off back to Littleroot Town. Silver automatically opened the letter first, despite dying to know what was in the parcel, and more than just a piece of paper fell from the envelope; a shiny coin that resembled the amulet on a Meowth's head fell into his lap too. He looked at the letter and read the familiar writing fondly. '_Dear Silver, just a quick note to say everyone at home's rooting for you. This is an Amulet Coin, and it's said to bring luck, particularly in monetary matters. Judging by all the food money you've been taking from the account I've saved up, you'll need it! Love from, Mum._' Underneath the signature were various paw and claw prints that he recognised as belonging to all of his Pokemon. Typhlosion's large paw was embossed next to Noctowl's spidery claw-print, which was next to a hand print that obviously belonged to Gengar. Politoed's three-fingered print stood out next to a blue blob that had evidently come from Wobbuffet's hand. Folding it carefully, he placed it in a pocket on the front of his messenger bag before turning to the parcel. Inside were various objects, as well as another letter, this time penned by Crystal.

_Dear Silver,_

_It's me, Crystal! I thought it would be a nice change to send a letter for once rather than calling up. Plus Heracross broke the phone. I've sent it to your home address, hopefully your mum will know where you are to send it on. By now you've probably got your fourth badge, or even your fifth; it's really weird to think that you're still on an adventure whilst I'm stuck at home! The reason I sent this letter, and this package, was to remind you that I'll always be thinking of you, whether you become the Hoenn Champion or not. No matter what happens, me, Tyrogue and the others will always be behind you. Tyrogue just punched the air as he read that, unless you haven't already guessed. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you: Hitmontop's finally home, and he's as good as new! Togetic's on my shoulder as always, squeaking one of his cute little songs that always reminds me of you. Heracross is in his Pokeball and Snorlax is out in the garden... sleeping. How d'you guess? But seriously, I want to say good luck. I know I've said it loads before, but I really, really mean it. You always try your best and you're always kind and considerate to everyone. Just keep going for the gold, OK? I won't settle for anything less for you. Your new team may be a bit crazy, but they're good at heart. To be under your command, they'd have to be. Give them all my best, and remember that I'll always be thinking of you._

_Lots of love,_

_Crystal._

Silver smiled as he read the letter, placing it in his bag and looking through the parcel's contents. The main item was a large, glossy photo of Crystal, doing the 'V for Victory' sign as her Pokemon crowded around her. Togetic sat on her shoulder, and the photographer had captured a Tyrogue air-punch perfectly. Heracross looked stunned, as if wondering what was happening, Hitmontop was as serious and upside-down as usual whereas Snorlax was lying behind them, providing a backdrop as his head and feet were out of the picture. Putting it in his bag pocket to keep it safe, he pinned a home-made Tyrogue badge to his chest and unwrapped a small cupcake to eat. To his surprise, yet another note was hidden amongst the folds of packaging. Chewing on the cupcake, he unfolded it and read it suspiciously. '_To Silver, this is Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader. Remember me? The first Gym Leader you ever faced. And now your friend Crystal says you've beaten all the Gyms in Kanto and Johto, and almost in Hoenn too. On hearing this, I just wanted to pledge my good wishes; I thought you would appreciate the dramatic irony of your first Gym Leader contacting you to congratulate you on beating more than a dozen more Gyms. I appreciate this might be a bit unexpected, but on seeing Crystal walk past the Gym and hearing that she was going to the post-box to send you something, I was struck with the sudden urge to see how you were doing. Just let me remind you one last time; remember our battle when you become Pokemon Master! You did promise, after all, way back when you won your Zephyrbadge. Goodbye and once again best wishes on your quest. Falkner._' Silver leapt to his feet, clenching his fists and unwittingly crushing Falkner's note in the process as he smiled, a new fire in his eyes. This was what he needed; to be reminded how people back home were behind him all the way. To be reminded of his past accomplishments, and how he had achieved them; through trust, love and strength. He suddenly remembered all of his hard-won victories throughout his adventures, and knew that compared to some of the spots he had been in in the past, his battle with Norman was a veritable picnic. What did it matter that they were related? It didn't stop him wanting Hoenn's badges, and eventually the title of Hoenn Champion. Tomorrow, he'd challenge his father again. And this time, it would be a battle to be proud of no matter what the result was.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 27**

As he walked to the Gym the next day, Silver felt like a completely new boy. The package and letters had completely re-energised him when he had needed it most, and the rest of yesterday had been spent in such enthusiastic and dedicated training sessions that everyone had pulled off great moves; some of their best, in fact. This time, Silver felt completely confident about his chances; both he and his team were on top form, and he had gotten over his mental block about facing his father. He met Scott outside the Gym as usual, but this time their exchange was completely different.

"Hi, Silver. I just waited out here to wish you good luck before you go in,"

"What d'you mean?" Silver asked brightly, flashing Scott a huge smile. "You're coming in too, aren't you? Or have you given up your job as honorary spectator?" Scott smiled too, a mixture of relief and happiness, and Hypno nodded at Silver in encouragement.

"Yes! The old Silver's back! I think we can expect one heck of a battle then, Hypno,"

"I know my Pokemon are strong enough to give Dad one, even if we don't win. And if that should happen, we'll train even harder and come back tomorrow," Silver said determinedly, and held the door open for Scott. The sunglasses-wearing man and his Psychic Pokemon walked inside, followed by the challenger and, of course, Shedinja. "Dad! I'm back to challenge you again," Silver called over to his father, who was reading a newspaper on the sidelines. Norman glanced up, took one look at Silver's new demeanour, and got to his feet, smiling.

"It looks like today we can have our truly official battle. Not as father and son, but challenger and Gym Leader. That fire in your eyes was what I hoped you'd gain overnight,"

"With a little help from Mum, Crystal and Falkner, I feel ready for anything," Silver replied, and took his position opposite his father as Scott and Hypno sat down to watch.

"I'll start off what is sure to be a very interesting battle. Go, Spinda!" The familiar Spot Panda Pokemon emerged from Norman's Pokeball, staggering around slightly and looking deceptively out-of-it.

"Breloom, let's go!" Silver had decided to use the same team as yesterday, to really show how much he had come on in the past day. Breloom looked ready for action, as ever, and raised his fists in preparation. "Use Mach Punch, but get ready for dodges! We already know Spinda's tricky!" Breloom charged forwards, his fist raised; he was travelling slightly slower than he usually would be to mark Spinda's position, and his face was creased with concentration.

"Spinda, start off with Psybeam!" Norman ordered, and Spinda's eyes glowed as it blasted Breloom away with a super-effective surge of Psychic energy. The Spot Panda continued to lurch around as Breloom got up, hurt but not defeated.

"Breloom, we'll have to lay off Mach Punch for a while, even if it is super-effective. It seems we get trounced every time we use it," Silver said, and Breloom smiled wryly. "Let's try Stun Spore!"

"Spinda, Teeter Dance!" Norman countered, and Spinda began to dance around, waving his arms delicately to try and confuse Breloom as the usual orange spores floated down from the cap on Breloom's head. Spinda kept up the dance despite being coated in spores, and suddenly Breloom found himself copying it, occasionally whacking himself over the head as he moved his arms too enthusiastically. "Now, Facade!" Silver inwardly cursed as Spinda rushed forwards, glowing orange as it prepared for a double-damage tackle.

"Breloom, jump up and dodge it!" Silver ordered, and Brleoom shook his head slightly, clearing it, before leaping upwards. He was a second too late, however; he was clipped by the dashing Spinda's aura and lost control of his jump, landing heavily. He wasn't as badly damaged as he would have been if Facade had hit, but every drop of health was vital.

"Spinda, Psybeam!" Spinda's eyes began to glow again as he started to summon the deadly power at his disposal.

"Breloom, jump up and over him!" Silver said, and this time Breloom easily slipped away from the Psybeam, flipping over Spinda and landing behind him. Amazingly, he didn't stop there; his tail started glowing white, and he swung it viciously round onto Spinda's back, sending the Pokemon flying forwards as it squeaked with pain. Norman looked surprised, but his son was even more so if possible. "Breloom, well done! That must've been an Iron Tail, right?" he said, remembering the glowing tail from former battles.

"Breloom!" Breloom replied happily, wagging his now-normal tail happily.

"Spinda, Facade!" Norman ordered, and Spinda charged at Breloom again, glowing orange and not looking in the least bit dizzy.

"Counter it with Iron Tail!" Silver said, and finally he saw doubt flicker in his father's eyes; he had managed to do the unexpected, and the advantage would be his for a split-second. Breloom's tail stopped Spinda's charge in its tracks, and both Pokemon squared off again, awaiting orders. Silver took his moment's advantage and cried, "Breloom, Mega Drain!" Spinda staggered backwards as Breloom zapped him with bolts of green energy, sucking away his health to replace that which he had lost.

"Spinda, Teeter Dance!" Spinda managed to break free of the bolts as he started to wiggle himself around again, trying to mentally destabilise his foe and make him an easy target.

"Breloom, hit him with another Mega Drain! I'm sure your endurance will outlast his!" Silver ordered, and as Spinda danced, health-draining bolts sailed past him or hit dead on, sporadically sapping his energy as he poured more and more power into his signature move. Eventually, inevitably, Breloom was overcome; his Mega Drain hit him with a huge backlash of out-of-control energy, sending him reeling backwards.

"Spinda, finish him with Psybeam!" Norman commanded, and Spinda stopped his dance to marshal some more Psychic power, ready to hammer the still-dancing and self-damaging Breloom that was like a sitting duck in front of him. However, as Silver had hoped, something finally went wrong. Spinda's teeth gritted and his limbs froze in place as the Stun Spore he had used to power his Facade achieved its original purpose at last.

"Breloom, snap out of it! It's time for Mach Punch!" Silver almost shouted, feeling the decider suddenly in front of him. Breloom looked at him quizzically, as if wondering what exactly this boy was talking about when he said 'Mach Punch', then a small part of his brain resisted the Teeter Dance. Mach Punch... a move which always struck incredibly quickly. A move which, with Spinda's present state, finally wouldn't miss. A move which was nothing less than super-effective against his helpless foe. Breloom darted forwards, banishing the last, lingering effects of Teeter Dance from his mind and battering Spinda with a super-fast fist that the Paralysed creature couldn't dodge. Spinda stumbled backwards, truly dizzy and disoriented this time. "Iron Tail!" Breloom leapt up and somersaulted back down, swinging his glowing tail in right between Spinda's dizzy eyes. The Spot Panda keeled over backwards, looking oddly still after his constant motions throughout the battle as he lay there unconscious.

"Spinda, return. It was incredibly short-sighted of me to forget about the Stun Spore, but I suppose there was no way I could have resisted it anyway. Breloom learning a new move in the middle of the battle was also a contributory factor to your comparatively easy victory. But, as you know, the best is yet to come. Linoone, I choose you!"

"Comparitively easy? Are you kidding? Anyway, well done, Breloom. That was fantastic. Your Iron Tail looks incredible. OK to keep going?" Breloom nodded eagerly, and Silver focused the Pokedex on his new foe. Linoone, the Rushing Pokemon, was apparently the evolved form of Zigzagoon, and could run up to sixth miles per hour in a straight line. He knew he could count on his father to make some sort of tactic based around that, so had Mach Punch at the ready to counter any speed attacks.

"Linoone, start off with Belly Drum!" Norman commanded quickly, to try and catch Silver out. Little did Norman know that Silver didn't have the slightest clue what Belly Drum did.

"Uh... OK, Breloom, stay ready..." the boy said, puzzled, as Linoone rolled onto his back and started slashing his own stomach; unknown to him, although it was decreasing its own health, it was driving itself into a frenzy that powered its attack up to incredible levels.

"That was a prime time to attack, but it seems that knowledge and the unexpected are my allies this time around. Linoone, Headbutt!" Linoone hopped back to his feet and started building up speed, lowering his head to slam into Breloom.

"Breloom, he's heading straight for you! Mach Punch!" Silver said, capitalising on the knowledge that Linoone couldn't change direction too easily. Breloom sped forwards, so fast he was barely visible, and Linoone's charge collided with his fist. Both Pokemon were thrown backwards, but Breloom seemed impossibly badly damaged, getting up to his feet but flinching from his wounds. "That must be one powerful Headbutt. Breloom, Mach Punch again!"

"Linoone, Headbutt!" Breloom, powerless to do anything as his wounds nearly overwhelmed him, was battered full-on by another super-powerful Linoone Headbutt. Somehow, he managed to get up, but it was clear to Silver that Belly Drum had done far more than just injure Linoone.

"Breloom, stay with me. Linoone may be quick, and his attack power may be huge, but nobody's unbeatable. Hit him with Mega Drain, to leech back some of that health he took from you," Breloom stood strong and battered the nearby Linoone with energy bolts, sucking away his health desperately. Linoone snarled and tried to draw away as the painful bolts seared him mercilessly.

"Linoone, jump through that Mega Drain and see if he can survive a Slash!" Norman commanded, and Linoone came back to himself, looking determined again as he dashed as fast as he could through the hail of attacks. His streamlined form was a blur as he reared up and raked Breloom across the face with his front claws, sending the Grass Pokemon reeling backwards. Breloom was tough, but a critical hit from such a powered-up attack would probably been able to floor all of Silver's team at once, so he collapsed in defeat.

"Breloom, return. I know for a fact that Linoone's been injured, and badly, so well done for that. And, of course, your victory over Spinda. All in all, it looks like your training really paid off. Corphish, it's your turn!" Corphish grimly took up his position, clashing his pincers together as he glared over at the heavily-breathing Linoone.

"Linoone, be careful here. Corphish may have quite low defences, but he's tenacious and won't give up unless you batter him into submission," Norman warned, and Linoone nodded, similarly focused on the enemy. "We'd better finish this off with a Headbutt. Get ready, then use all the speed you can to dart forwards and hopefully knock him out with one blow. Then Slaking's job will be made much easier,"

"Corphish, get ready for battle. Use Bubblebeam!" Silver said, seeing Linoone building up speed. The Rushing Pokemon was met head-on by a stream of bubbles, but despite the pain he kept going; bizarrely, this is exactly what Silver had wanted him to do. Not only did it continue to damage Linoone, it allowed him to show off a little of his own tactical flair. Just as Linoone was about to impact, he cried, "To the left!" Corphish slipped to the left and avoided Linoone's charge by a hairsbreadth. Linoone was far too fast to change direction and sped past like lightning. As he screeched to a halt, preparing for another pass, Silver ordered, "Knock Off!" Just as Linoone was completely immobile, when he was at his weakest, Corphish barrelled in and smashed him over the head with a claw, sending him reeling. Silver thought that had to be the end of the battle, but Linoone got to his feet, not looking good but having lost none of his amazing attack power.

"Linoone, it's time for Slash! Finish Corphish off with a critical blow!" Norman commanded grimly, seeing the waning state of affairs, and Linoone reared up over Corphish, his claws gleaming.

"Corphish, Harden! Try and dodge!" Silver said in response. Corphish's shell took on a super-hard sheen, and this, coupled with his hop to the right, allowed him to come away from what was a knock-out blow with ample health remaining. "Finish it with Bubblebeam!" Linoone cried out as he was too tired to dodge, being struck time and again by point-blank bubbles from a Pokemon who didn't know the meaning of the word 'mercy'.

"Linoone, return. Perhaps Belly Drum was a mistake, but then again you would not have knocked out Breloom as easily as you did without it. Here, Silver, is my final Pokemon. In true Gym Leader style, I have saved my most powerful fighter until last. Yesterday, as you remember, he beat all three of your Pokemon. Today, can you beat him with two? Slaking, let's find out!" Slaking didn't look sleepy or lazy today, probably sensing the increased pressure on him to perform. Yesterday he was proving a point; today he was truly fighting.

"Corphish, I'm sure you remember this guy. For once, I'm going to say don't pull your punches. Slaking is an immense foe and it's just you and Combusken against him. Are you up to the challenge, Corphish?" he said intently.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, and somehow, as he clashed his claws again, he didn't look weak and helpless when faced with the mighty Slaking.

"Slaking, let's make this one fast. Faint Attack!" Slaking vanished from view and Silver had only a split-second to act.

"Corphish, Bubblebeam behind you!" he gasped quickly. Corphish pivoted and just as Slaking reappeared, he was assailed by a blast of exploding bubbles. He staggered backwards, roaring and covering his face as the unexpected blow struck home.

"Slaking, work through it! Such an attack is useless against one of your endurance!" Norman encouraged him, and Slaking stood firm, walking slowly towards Corphish and actually ignoring the bubbles that blew up against his chest and face. Silver knew he was preparing to finish his Faint Attack in the most brutal way possible, and thus cried,

"Corphish, Vicegrip! Remember Brawly's Makuhita?" His whole plan banked on Corphish's memory, but he hoped that whilst the Water Pokemon wouldn't have great recollection of how to make someone feel better, or how to not offend anyone, he would be able to remember particularly brutal fights. A gleam appeared in Corphish's eye and Silver barely held in a huge sigh of relief as Corphish leapt upwards, seizing the tuft of fur on Slaking's head in his iron grip, perching on the creature's head and wrenching at his prize as hard as he could.

"Slaking, Faint Attack!" Norman parried, and suddenly Corphish was sprawled on the floor as his prisoner disappeared. Silver knew it was him that had had a tactic turned against him this time; Corphish was winded on hitting the floor and easy prey for a reappearing Slaking's fists, which battered him aside like he weighed nothing at all. Corphish staggered to his feet unsteadily as Slaking looked to Norman for further orders. "Wait, Slaking. Take the time to replenish some of that mighty health," his master advised, and Slaking sat down, his eyes closed as he rested whilst the opportunity presented itself. Silver was about to order a wake-up Knock Off to teach Slaking not to let his guard down, but the words never left his mouth as he realised it was all a ruse. Norman wanted Corphish to attack in close combat so he could use Counter, turning his own force against him and allowing Slaking some rest time too. Silver smiled at his father's ingenuity, but a clever plan wasn't going to deter him from winning.

"Corphish, he's a big, juicy target for your best Bubblebeam!" Slaking's eyes opened and twitched as the Bubblebeam hammered his chest, and the ape-like creature got to his feet again, flexing his muscles angrily.

"You are beginning to think like a Gym Leader; excellent, Silver. But now is not the time to be proud. Corphish's Bubblebeam may be strong, but Slaking is far, far stronger. That attack is just like an annoying fly buzzing in his ear; an irritating disturbance, but not immediately life-threatening. Slaking, Facade!" Slaking thundered forwards through the Bubblebeam, a weak yellow aura surrounding him as he drew closer to his foe steadily.

"Corphish, try a Knock Off!" Silver said when Slaking was dangerously close. Knock Off wouldn't do much damage, but it would hopefully disorient Slaking and leave him open for more blows. Corphish jumped up again, swinging his claw in to strike Slaking full in the face.

"Slaking, Counter!" Norman commanded, and Corphish was repelled from his foe, battered by the bounced-back force of his own blow. "I too learn from mistakes, it seems. Slaking, keep going with Facade!" Norman smiled at Silver, and Slaking raised his mighty fists high as he loomed above his opponent.

"Corphish, Harden!" Silver parried at the last second, and Corphish gleamed as the two fists connected with him, making the Gym shudder. The Water Pokemon struggled up once again as the dust cleared; the Harden had allowed him to stay on the very brink, surviving the Facade to strike back. "Bubblebeam!"

"Slaking, Faint Attack!" Slaking vanished, dodging the stream of bubbles before slamming into Corphish from behind. This time, Corphish didn't get up.

"Corphish, return. You were good, well done. Finishing off Linoone like that was excellent, and we can't deny you did your bit against Slaking either. Take a good long rest. Combusken, time to finish this, one way or the other," Silver said, gritting his teeth and focusing as he released Combusken.

"Combusken," Combusken snarled, taking up a fighting position opposite his opponent.

"Slaking, we'll go for something different this time. Use Yawn to take Combusken down a peg or two!" Norman said, and Silver knew his father was getting into his stride by necessity. Slaking yawned loudly, and Combusken soon followed, looking sleepy all of a sudden.

"I've already prepared a tactic against this. Combusken, Focus Energy!" Combusken closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and psyched himself up for the win, dispelling all of Yawn's effects and getting himself in the zone at the same time. Soon, it was as if they were beginning the battle again, and Yawn had never happened.

"In that case, we'll have to use a more brutal tactic. Facade, now!" Slaking rumbled forwards again, his yellow aura surrounding him.

"Combusken, Ember!" Silver ordered, and Combusken spat fire at his gargantuan foe; despite his singed fur and the inevitable damage it dealt, Slaking ignored it completely. "Jump over him!" Combusken leapt forwards, somersaulting over Slaking's head and landing behind him.

"Slaking, behind you!" Norman cried a split-second later, and Slaking swept his arm around, hoping to slam Combusken away.

"Dodge! Then Double Kick!" Silver said almost as quickly, and Combusken ducked the flying fist at the last moment before launching himself at Slaking's stomach, delivering two gut-wrenching kicks from his powerful legs. Slaking stumbled backwards, and this time he had been visibly hurt; Silver guessed that a super-effective attack from someone as powerful as Combusken would make any foe pause. A second later, though, Slaking had shrugged off the blow, and he beat his chest and roared loudly. "This guy's all about endurance, Combusken. If we can use the good old hit and run strategy, we'll be fine," Silver encouraged.

"Hit and run won't help when Combusken's all tired and Slaking is still at his optimum potential. Slaking, Faint Attack!" Slaking disappeared from view again and Combusken looked around, wondering from which direction his foe would come.

"Combusken, wait a moment..." Silver said in a strained voice, knowing full well what would happen if he was too early or late. As soon as he heard Slaking's footfalls again and caught a glimpse of the creature a metre or two to Combusken's right, he cried, "Jump as high as you can!" Combusken rocketed upwards, powered by his incredible legs, and he evaded Slaking's charge easily. Slaking ground his teeth angrily but awaited orders as usual when Combusken landed. To Silver's dismay, Norman was smiling.

"I've already warned you, agility can only get you so far. Unless you can combine that agility with an attack move to increase its power, you won't be able to defeat Slaking. He's just too strong," the man said calmly. Silver was horribly reminded of his battles with Red, in which both Noctowl and Umbreon failed to even get close to defeating Dragonite due to being incredibly outmatched on everything except agility. But neither of them had been super-effective against Dragonite, and neither had used a signature move. Combusken had Double Kick, which fulfilled both requirements.

"Combusken, Double Kick! Try and aim for the face!" Silver ordered, and Combusken jumped towards Slaking, swinging his legs in to pound his face.

"Slaking, Counter," Norman parried calmly, and Combusken was throw to the floor, wracked with the pain of his own doubled attack. "Now, Facade," Slaking raised his glowing fists high above his head, ready to bring them down in a crushing blow, but Combusken was glaring up at him, not in the least bit scared.

"Combusken, roll to the side! Then Scratch!" Combusken twitched to the side as Slaking's fists slammed onto the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust and allowing the Fire Pokemon to slash Slaking's cheek with his claws. As the dust cleared, it seemed that both Combusken and Slaking were tiring slightly. He didn't have to think for very long to guess which would prevail if they continued like this. "Combusken, I need you to use Ember as hard as you can. Don't hold back anything; Slaking's too powerful to dice around with," Silver said worriedly, and Combusken backed off slightly, preparing himself for the attack.

"Slaking, Facade. One last hit and Combusken will have all the fight beaten out of him; I'm confident that his Ember can't hurt you too badly," Norman said, and Slaking lumbered forwards for the finisher. Silver licked his dry lips nervously as Slaking raised his fists up above Combusken, who was merely standing still as his foe bellowed his loudest.

"Combusken, no!" Silver cried, seeing Slaking's fists fall, but it seemed he was too early off the mark. Combusken's beak opened and the Fire Pokemon blasted out a jet of fire which was pure, concentrated, white-hot flame, powered by courage and determination and lent aid by Combusken's innate power over fire. Slaking was struck in the chest by the attack, and his bellow of anger changed to one of pain as he was blasted backwards off his feet, hit so hard that he actually crashed into the wall of the Gym with a huge rumble. Combusken was flat on his back, breathing heavily, the Overheat rendering him helpless, but his foe was in no position at all to take advantage. Norman had said that Combusken didn't have any power attacks. He said that Combusken's agility was his only defence, and even then it was futile. Norman, most critically, had said that Combusken's Ember couldn't hurt Slaking. Norman was wrong. Combusken, undoubtedly picking it up from watching Flannery's battle with Silver, had learned Overheat at the most crucial time possible, and such a powerful, unexpected attack was all it took to overcome Slaking. The ape-like creature slid down the wall limply, defeated. Both Silver and Norman were shocked into silence, but Norman broke it by returning his Pokemon. Silver followed his lead and ran over to Combusken, leaning next to him as he had done yesterday, but in totally opposite circumstances. "Combusken, you really made me bite my nails there. You've obviously got an appreciation for last-second victories; I can't say I'm not fond of them either, after that. You were excellent, Combusken, and well done for learning Overheat and using it so well. Return for a well-deserved rest,"

"Silver, that was truly amazing! Once again Combusken has stunned me with his courage and never-say-die attitude. Inspirational is the only word to describe it," Scott said, shaking Silver's hand enthusiastically and actually wiping a tear from his eye.

"I must agree. Once again, it was the unexpected which had my Pokemon defeated, but then again your battle style seems to revolve around surprise. Combusken certainly deserves credit for that final move. Anyway, here I have what you've been waiting for; a Balancebadge, to symbolise your victory over five of Hoenn's Gyms. As well as that, I would like to convey my absolute and utter pride in you, son. You battled like a true professional today, and you deserved to win after trying so hard. Your Pokemon and you exhibited a bond so deep that only fellow Trainers like myself can appreciate it," Silver was stunned into silence as Norman hugged him, a gesture which he almost never showed.

"Thanks, Dad. I'll always wear it with pride," he said, feeling slightly tearful himself as he pinned his fifth badge onto his chest. Norman then asked him a quiet question, completely out of the blue;

"What is your dream, Silver?"

"Huh? Oh, to become Hoenn Champion, of course. And then go on and become Champion of Kanto and Johto, too," Silver replied determinedly.

"Good. You should always aspire to be the best, even when it seems out of reach. My dream, however, is rather different. I see my dream in front of me now; my son, as a great and powerful Pokemon Trainer who shows love and understanding to his warriors. I confess myself to be prouder than I have ever been of you, Silver. Even when I heard you were challenging the Champion of Kanto and Johto. For now, with my own eyes, I see a true Pokemon Master in the making,"


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 28**

After his Gym battle with Norman, and his subsequent victory, Silver felt almost light-headed with relief. The most difficult battle emotionally was over, and he had emerged triumphant. Not only that, Breloom had learned Iron Tail and Combusken had learned Overheat; two powerful moves which he knew would contribute to his success later on. He had phoned Crystal, Wally and his mother in a daze to relay his two battles with Norman, and he felt even stronger feelings for them than ever, knowing that Crystal and his mother had unwittingly given him the courage to face and defeat his father after being beaten the first time. He had asked Crystal more than once to thank Falkner for his note, which had also had a hand in buoying his spirits, up to the point where the girl snapped at him and asked whether he thought she actually had a brain. Annoyingly, the Pokenav showed him that his next destination, Fortree City, was reached quickest from Mauville. He had been back and forth from the city so much that it almost felt like a temporary home, which wasn't good as he hated it even more than he had on his first visit. On the other hand, he refused to allow this unpleasant information to dampen his feelings of triumph and victory, so he took it on the chin with relative ease. Two ferry journeys and a slow walk later, he had reached Mauville City, and as it was late he grudgingly spent the night there. But, the next day, his happiness at beating Norman compounded with never having to visit Mauville again, and after he and his Pokemon had eaten an ample breakfast he scooted east as fast as he could. There, he was faced with a short stretch of sea that separated him from the route north to Fortree City; luckily, there was a boat hire service from one beach to the other. Unluckily, if he didn't want to row, he had to rely on Corphish power to get the vessel moving.

"Corphish, _please_. You'd get to swim as much as you want. Come on, you're easily strong enough to pull this tiny boat," Silver pleaded as they stood ready for departure, having paid for a short trip in a small rowing boat.

"Corphish," Corphish replied, turning his back on Silver crossly and crossing his claws in front of his chest.

"It's only for a short time. Won't you do an old friend a favour?"

"Corphish!" Corphish broke from his sulk to angrily berate Silver in a few choice words of his own language. However, his point was gotten across easily enough.

"Combusken, can you try and talk some sense into him? Uh... you too, Seviper," Silver said quickly, seeing Zangoose and Seviper finding themselves standing next to each other after Combusken's departure. Seviper slithered over to Corphish and joined in with Combusken as they tried their best to sway the Water Pokemon. Needless to say, several minutes later, Silver was rowing the boat across the stretch of sea. Corphish swam merrily beside them whilst the rest of the creatures were either crammed into the boat or sucked into their Pokeballs (Silver didn't think it a particularly good idea to have Zangoose and Seviper cooped up together). Luckily for Silver's arms, the current was in their favour, and they reached the opposite beach after a few minutes. As he and the Pokemon struggled out, fleeing from an inadvertent Effect Spore from Breloom that threatened to put them all to sleep, Silver realised as he collapsed on the sand that it wasn't going to be his day. Again. This was near enough confirmed by a familiar voice from further along the sand.

"Excuse me! You must be... Silver, from Littleroot Town! I'm right, aren't I?" Silver sat up to see Gabby the news reporter and her cameraman Ty standing close by. She held her microphone as always, and was looking down expectantly at the sprawled-out boy.

"Yep. And you're Gabby, from Bravo Trainer Time," Silver said wearily, climbing back to his feet.

"Correct! As I'm sure you'll remember, we battled before, if you can class our one-sided encounter as a battle at all. You only got mentioned in the last show – budget cuts, you understand – but everyone loves someone who never quits. If you'll battle with us again, to show your progress, you'll be guaranteed some screen time!"

"Yeah, why not. It won't do me any harm, anyway. Two on two again?"

"That's right! Ty, get that camera rolling! Loudred, go!" Gabby cried, releasing a fairly large, angry-looking beast with the biggest mouth Silver had ever seen. The Pokedex, as well as logic, told him that it was the evolved form of Whismur. Ty released his familiar Magnemite, struggling to hold his camera at the same time and focus it on the unfolding battle.

"As you two are using the same Pokemon, I will too. Combusken, Breloom, let's go!" Silver released his two battlers, who had experience of fighting Gabby and Ty's Pokemon before. Silver hoped it would be a better watch for the people at home if he used the same team as last time.

"So Silver looses a familiar duo upon us, except it seems that his Shroomish has evolved into Breloom. This is sure to affect battle performance, but almost certainly for the better," Gabby said knowledgeably, looking into the camera. "Loudred, start off with Uproar!"

"Magnemite, Thunder Wave!" Loudred opened his mouth to unleash a blast of sonic energy whilst Magnemite crackled with electricity, preparing to zap the nearby Combusken and Paralyse him into helplessness.

"Breloom, use Mach Punch on Magnemite! Combusken, show Loudred an Overheat!" Silver ordered triumphantly. Before Magnemite could even direct its bolts towards the Fire Pokemon, he had been knocked off-kilter by a swift and super-effective punch from Breloom, who wisely knocked his opponent into Combusken's path. Combusken unleashed the blast of incredible fiery energy from his beak, and, striking Magnemite head-on, it propelled him back towards Loudred. The Normal Pokemon was clubbed between the eyes by his Steel ally before falling victim to the Overheat itself. Combusken collapsed backwards out of tiredness, but Loudred and Magnemite were so badly beaten that a trip to the Pokemon centre was needed as soon as possible.

"Oh no! Loudred, return! Well, viewers, it seems that Silver has come on a phenomenal amount. Breloom and Combusken were a perfect team yet again, and whilst Breloom provided the tactics, Combusken unleashed a shed-load of power that KO'd both of our hapless Pokemon in one hit. Yet again we have to recommend that only confident Trainers approach Silver, who now, by the look of it, has no less than five of Hoenn's badges! A word from the victor, perhaps?" Silver looked up, having been kneeling next to Combusken to check on him, and found the microphone jammed in his face.

"Er... thanks for the battle. I'd like to take the time to..."

"We'll have to cut you short, because we're running out of time! This is it from Gabby on the beach, and of course Silver from Littleroot Town and his fantastic Pokemon. Ty, that's a wrap!"

"More great footage. It was worth the pounding we received," Ty said, recalling Magnemite and stroking his camera lovingly.

"I'll say. Well, Silver, this is goodbye for now. When you next see a TV with the Pokemon Trainer's Channel, tune in... because the main story just might be you!" Gabby said happily, and she and Ty sped off, doubtless looking for yet more stories to cover.

"They didn't even let me finish my speech," Silver said, put-out, as he scratched his head and watched them run. "Ah well. There's always next time. You two were really good again, those two losers didn't stand a chance. But somehow I think the sixth Gym Leader will be quite a bit tougher,"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily, leaping upwards and forcing Silver to duck a Knock Off attack of appreciation that was coming his way.

"You can thank me by battling your hardest next time you fight, instead of concussing me. OK, everyone, let's go. Zangoose, this side. Seviper, this side," He allocated each of the rivals to walk on either side of him to keep them out of trouble, and tasked Breloom and Combusken to keep an eye on Corphish, who was sure to get into some sort of bother one way or another. However, before one of the Pokemon could cause trouble, a whole new obstacle presented itself. Ahead of them was a thick wall of solid grass, taller than Silver and exceedingly difficult to walk through. It reminded him almost of a thick cornfield, where the maize stalks rose up and created a leafy barrier for anyone trying to thrash their way through. "Wonderful. It looks like the grass grows taller in Hoenn, if not greener. Let's see... we don't want to start a forest fire, so Combusken's out of the picture. Breloom, I can't see what you could do to help really. Iron Tail will be too tiring to use as a makeshift machete. Corphish... no, I won't even go down that road. Seviper, you don't have any arms, so unless you want to waste your Poison Tail against it... ah, Zangoose! You're perfect! Can you use Cut to try and slice a way through?" Zangoose shrugged, shaking his head. "What d'you mean you can't use Cut with those sharp claws? I guess Slash is way too strong to waste against grass, so our only option is to walk straight through it," he said, gulping as he looked up at the towering stems. They were right to be worried; it was very tiring work, pushing past the swathes of grass and trying not to get tangled up. Keeping track of his position proved to be a nightmare; it was at times like this that he wished he had caught a Nosepass, which could point him in the right direction. They couldn't even stop for a rest as there was nowhere to sit down or sprawl. The monotony was finally broken when he felt his hands, pushing forward through the grass, touch empty air. Thrashing around like a Flailing Magikarp, he burst forwards out of the wall of grass, sucking in great breaths of fresh air as his Pokemon followed. Breloom appeared to have enjoyed the trek, but Zangoose and Combusken were covered in tiny seeds that stuck to their fur and feathers. Silver looked down and saw that his clothes were coated with the annoying spores, too.

"Hey, it's the Green Man!" someone suddenly laughed.

"Shh! You've broken the Mimic Circle Code!" another person hissed.

"I couldn't help it, he looks so funny..."

"Members of the Mimic Circle never reveal themselves to the mimicked. It's the oldest rule in the book," another one sniffed superiorly.

"We may as well reveal ourselves now. Maybe he can be a new member," Suddenly, from tufts of the same thick grass Silver had just escaped, people appeared, dressed as either Bug Catchers or traditional mime artists. "Hi! We're the Mimic Circle. We mimic the actions of travellers for fun," a big Bug Catcher said genially, extending a hand.

"Right. I'm Silver, and I'm going to Fortree City, so..." Suddenly, his own voice was being echoed back at him as the Mimic Circle parroted his words expertly. "I'm sure this will never get annoying," he said through gritted teeth as the last person finished mimicking him.

"Well, if you don't want to join us, how about a battle?" one of them asked, and Silver brightened up.

"Now you're talking my language!" he said, and ignored the many repetitions from the spectators.

"Prepare for the battle of a lifetime when you encounter... Wurmple!" the boy cried, unleashing the small caterpillar-like creature. Silver slapped his forehead. He thought he had escaped these 'bottom of the barrel' Pokemon several Gym badges ago.

"Wurmple? I'm disappointed. I expected Mr. Mime at least," he said, doing his best to focus on his foe as several of the Mimic Circle members fell to the floor, imitating Wurmple disturbingly well. "I guess I'd better choose a Pokemon. Zangoose, go!" Zangoose hopped between Wurmple and his master, ready for battle.

"Wurmple, Poison Sting!" the Bug-Catcher ordered, and the creature spat a volley of shining stings towards Zangoose.

"Zangoose, ignore them! They can't hurt you too badly because of your Immunity. Use Swords Dance!" Zangoose span on the spot, honing his talons as the Poison Stings bounced uselessly off him.

"Wurmple, String Shot!"

"Zangoose, dodge it! Now use Slash!" Zangoose hopped aside from the jet of silk and leapt into the fray, dealing a savage strike that made Wurmple faint instantaneously.

"Oh no! Wurmple, return!" the Mimic Circle member said, disappointed, as the Wurmple actors on the sidelines keeled over, beaten by their Zangoose opponents. "The reason I have a Wurmple is that we can use his string to make our outfits. Still so sure you don't want to join?" Silver responded by turning to the left and re-entering a patch of thick grass, wondering how much weirder his Hoenn journey could get before it ended.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 29**

"Combusken, it's that time again," Silver panted. They were still making their way through the long grass, and Silver was almost regretting not staying with the Mimic Circle; at least there he could have rested and had some lunch. Now he was reduced to asking Combusken to leap straight up every now and again to mark their position and see if anything was up ahead. Combusken tensed his legs before flying several feet in the air, scanning the landscape before landing perfectly in their midst again.

"Combusken!" he said, pointing forwards, and there was urgency in his tone.

"What's up? Trouble?" Silver asked, preparing for the worst. Combusken shook his head. "Er... the end of this grassy maze?" Combusken held his hand out and tipped it from side to side, as if to show that Silver was nearing the point but not quite hitting it head-on. "Not civilisation, surely? We can't be that lucky," Silver said half to himself, but to his surprise Combusken nodded, smiling. "Yes! No more grass for us!" he jumped and punched the air in a passable imitation of Tyrogue.

"Breloom!" Breloom wagged his tail happily, joining in his master's happiness.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, leaping up and whacking Silver over the head with his Knock Off.

"Ow! How many times, Corphish? What about you two? No exclamations or attacks?" Silver turned to Zangoose and Seviper, who were too preoccupied with glaring at each other to take anything in. "Fine," he sighed. "Let's get going. Good work, Combusken," Combusken nodded at him as if saying it was no trouble at all before joining him in carving a new path through the dense grassy forest. As they progressed, Silver began to see the building loom up in front of them; a large, white, high-tech structure with various weird instruments on the roof. The Pokenav had said something about a Weather Institute on the way to Fortree City, and he guessed he had found it. As they got ever closer, nearing the end of the grass, Silver began to feel some weird vibes from the ever-present and ever-silent Shedinja that floated by his side. It was almost trepidation or dread, and he stopped and looked at the Shed Pokemon in concern; what could instil such unease in a naturally calm and even emotionless creature?

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, but Shedinja gave no indication. Seeing that he couldn't get Shedinja to voice his concerns, Silver turned back to the path they were carving, and reluctantly kept going; even though he felt he was going deeper into the jaws of the beast. The cause of Shedinja's concern was made evident as they left the thick grass and approached the Weather Institute; four members of the instantly-recognisable Team Aqua were guarding the doors, one of them looking around suspiciously whilst the others leant, relaxed, on the wall. One of them played with a Pokeball, bouncing it up and down in his hand and looking bored. "Oh no! It looks like we're going to get more than we bargained for here. Should we just walk past? They've brought me nothing but trouble... But it's probably some sort of duty for me to stop the bad guys. What sort of Trainer would I be if I left a Team of evil-doers alone to continue my quest? What d'you think, guys? Should we stop them?" Combusken and Breloom nodded, ready for battle; Corphish was apparently ignoring him, watching a butterfly flutter overhead and doubtless planning a leap to hit it with Knock Off; and Zangoose and Seviper were distracted by another staring match. "Two for attacking, three who don't care. Looks like it's a landslide. But I don't fancy those four-on-one odds. What we need is some sort of distraction..." Silver muttered to himself, and his eyes stopped on the likeliest candidate. Corphish looked back up at him blankly, feeling that something bad was coming but unable to put his finger on what.

"Stop that!" one of the Team Aqua Grunts snapped to the one throwing the Pokeball up in the air. "It's getting on my nerves,"

"What's gotten you so annoyed? You've been twitchy all day," the second grunt replied, catching his Pokeball and clipping it to his belt.

"I've just got a feeling, OK? Stealing documents from a lone worker is one thing, but invading an official building? Don't you think Archie's gone a step too far this time?"

"Who cares? He's the boss, we do what he says and get paid. 'I've just got a feeling'... honestly, man," the Grunt shook his head in disgust.

"I tell you, this isn't going to go unnoticed! Someone's going to stumble on this sooner or later if Shelly doesn't get a move on..." The suspicious Grunt looked around, his eyes keen for trespassers, but he took a double-take as his eyes found what they were looking for. It was a lone Corphish, dressed in a T-shirt bearing the logo of something called 'Marshtomp Thanks' and wearing the headband of a Hoenn Trainer. "What the...? Guys, look at this!" he said, nudging his nearest team-mate in the ribs. The rest of them stirred from their positions and eyed the approaching Corphish uncertainly, looking at each other as if expecting an explanation.

"Corphish! Corphish!" the Corphish cried as it grew within a couple of feet, waving its pincers happily before leaping upwards and slamming a claw onto the nearest grunt's head.

"Ouch! Hey, come back here, you little punk!" the Grunt snarled, favouring his skull and running after the retreating Pokemon. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"Fine, we're coming, we're coming. Stay here and stand guard; we won't take long to catch him," another sighed, leaving a single Grunt on guard as the others pursued Corphish. The guard watched them leave as they followed Corphish into the long grass, but wasn't alone for more than a second as Breloom came from behind, knocking him out with a single much-diluted Mach Punch.

"Good one, Breloom! Let's hope Corphish can keep the others busy for a while," Silver said, following in his Pokemon's wake and pushing open the door to the Weather Institute. Inside were several desks and practically nothing else except a staircase to the left. The desks were covered with papers and calculations, but these meant nothing to Silver, so he headed for the stairs. His Running Shoes squeaked on the stainless steel floors as he strode across the room and pattered up the stairs, trying to keep as quiet as possible. When he reached the top, he crouched down, just peeping above the top step to see what was going on in the upper floor. It was quite large, and again full of desks, but there were also all manner of computers and weird weather instruments that were all dials and dishes. The windows were huge and had a great view all across the surrounding terrain, but the Team Aqua agent wasn't interested in the view. Tall, with flowing orange hair that spilled out from her customary bandana, her face seemed eternally twisted into a sneer as she confronted what had to be the head scientist. The other scientists were tied up in a corner, evidently overpowered by the other Grunts earlier.

"I'll ask you one last time," Shelly drawled threateningly.

"Why don't you ask me? I might know the answer," Silver made his appearance, leaping into the room with his Pokemon by his side.

"Leave, kid. I can't be bothered to deal with you," Shelly spared him a single glance before glaring at the scientist and grabbing a Pokeball. "I'm warning you. Tell me where the rainfall's been heaviest lately or you'll pay the price,"

"Pick on someone your own size. Seviper, protect him!" Silver ordered, and Seviper slithered in between Shelly and the scientist, rearing up and spitting angrily.

"Carvahna, I choose you!" Shelly cried, annoyed, and a piranha-like creature flopped onto the floor. It looked helpless out of water, but its expression was aggressive and he wasn't going to take chances. "Carvahna, Crunch!" Carvahna leapt upwards, opening its huge jaws.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Silver countered, and Carvahna was batted away as the glowing purple tail struck him from the side. "Now, Bite!"

"Carvahna, you Bite as well!" Shelly ordered, and as Seviper's jaws fixed around the fin on his head, he clamped his teeth on Seviper's tail. Seviper seemed to be in discomfort, as he was shifting around and favouring his Bite attack as if Carvanha's skin hurt him, so Silver commanded,

"Seviper, Glare!" Seviper let go of his foe in relief, and stared deep into his eyes, using his serpentine skills to entrance and Paralyse his fish-like opponent. Carvanha opened his mouth in surprise, allowing Seviper to pull his tail free, and he seemed to be rooted in place. "Yes! That was really good! Whack him away with another Poison Tail!" Seviper sent Carvanha skidding across the floor like a hockey puck with a strike of his glowing tail, and Carvanha was helpless to resist as he slammed into a desk.

"Carvanha, Double Edge! Show him how rough your skin can truly be," Shelly ordered, and Carvanha shook off the Paralysis for long enough to slam into Seviper, scraping his sharp scales all along Seviper's smooth body and causing the snake to recoil in pain. "Now use Swagger!" Carvanha grinned at Seviper mischievously and paraded in front of him, as if to show him that his Glare had been useless, before leaping up and slapping a wet fin in his face. Seviper hissed angrily and rose up, so enraged that he almost hit himself with his thrashing coils.

"Don't let him annoy you, Seviper! Poison Tail!" Seviper swung his tail around like a mace, using all the muscle at his disposal, and Carvanha was unluckily struck down by his Paralysis just at that second. After an impact Silver could feel from his removed position, Carvanha was sent flying into his master, although his scales didn't seem to hurt her like they hurt Seviper.

"Carvanha, return. Who shall I use next..." Shelly said under her breath, but as she looked up she saw that Silver and the rest of his Pokemon were blocking her from the scientist. Counting them quickly, she realised she was outnumbered. "If we meet again on more level terms, I'll show you what a real member of Team Aqua can do. For now, I'll just take these. Aquas!" she suddenly bellowed down the stairs, snatching up some random documents in the hope that they'd be useful. "Take any nearby papers! Prepare to move out!" she thundered down the stairs, followed closely by Silver and his Pokemon, but all of them stopped, stunned, in the lobby. Corphish was standing there, on top of the four unconscious Aqua Grunts, waving his pincers happily and looking none the worse for wear. Shelly cursed and dove from a nearby open window, releasing a large creature Silver recognised as Mantine. "Mantine, let's go!" she cried, and grabbed its shoulders a second before it took off, flying away like some sort of weird spaceship.

"No! I can't believe she escaped, she was the one I really wanted to catch. Ah, well. At least we've got four others. Corphish, I'm not even going to ask how you did it. Suffice to say that I'm proud of you," Silver admitted reluctantly as Corphish crawled over. "Let's get these guys tied up. And remove that T-shirt, it's an abomination," he added, scouting around for materials to keep the Aqua Grunts in place after snatching his headband off Corphish and placing it back on his own head. "Seviper, you were great back there. We'll see if these Weather Institute people can give you a Potion, or something; those Carvanha scales looked nasty," Eventually, the Aqua goons were tied up with some thick tape Silver had found in a drawer, and Zangoose's claws were more than sufficient to break the bonds of the other scientists, all of which were exceedingly grateful. "The police are on their way, I've just phoned them," Silver said to them after they congratulated him, tapping the Pokenav. "D'you think you can handle these guys until they arrive?"

"We'll do our very best. It's the least we can do after you saved us back there. I'm just sorry we couldn't help your Seviper," the head scientist said regretfully.

"Don't worry, he's tough. He'll survive until we make it to a Pokemon Centre. Can I just ask a favour? Do you have anything with the Weather Institute logo on? My friend loves weird collectibles from landmarks," he explained.

"Actually, I thought we could do one better. We have several of them here at the Institute, so it's no problem at all to let one go. Castform, come out!" the scientist replied, and released a small, hovering Pokemon which resembled a cloud. It smiled cutely and its wide eyes glowed happily. The Pokedex said it was Castform, the Weather Pokemon, who had the bizarre ability of changing its form according to the weather. When it was sunny, it became a Fire type; when it was rainy, a Water type; and when it was snowing, an Ice type.

"Wow, that's one useful Pokemon. I bet he's a great help in your weather activities. But I can't accept him; he looks so happy and healthy, I wouldn't want to drag him off on a quest or send him all the way to Johto to my friend,"

"At least allow us to demonstrate his powers. Perhaps then you'll change your mind and allow us to repay your bravery," the scientist suggested, and Silver had to admit that he was curious. When everyone had rested and recovered from the ordeal, and the police had taken away the Aqua Grunts and interviewed the scientists and Silver, Castform's unique abilities were put to the test. Silver and the Pokemon were sprawled outside on the grass, eating some lunch from his backpack and relaxing as four Castforms, including the one that would be Silver's, hovered close by. "If everyone's ready, we'll begin," the scientist said excitedly. The other scientists were back at work, having viewed Castform's abilities so many times before that it was practically an everyday occurrence for them. "Castform One, use Sunny Day above Silver Castform!" he ordered, calling them according to their temporary codenames. One of the other three creatures spat out a small, glowing sun, which hovered above Silver's for a moment. Suddenly, Castform was morphing, and in the blink of an eye he appeared to be wearing an odd, orangey head-dress that made him look like a cartoon sun.

"Wow! Looking good, Castform!" Silver laughed, and Castform beamed.

"Castform Two, use Rain Dance, and focus it as much as you can!" Castform Two screwed up his face in concentration and a small pillar of rain poured from the clouds overhead, dousing Silver's Castform until he had changed form again; this time, it looked like his head was in the middle of a water droplet. Castform Two allowed the rain to die down after Silver had seen his fill, and Castform returned to normal. "Castform Three, a concentrated Hail!" This time it was a pillar of snow and ice that tumbled down from the heavens, and Silver's Castform morphed into a swirled cloud-shape, whilst his head nestled in the middle. Castform was smiling happily as everyone observed him, and he even did a little twirl amongst the blizzard to show off his new form. Silver watched the happiness dance in his eyes and his fears from before were hammered home even more; he would never tear Castform away from the Weather Institute when he obviously loved his 'job' so much. He was strangely disappointed by this; it seemed that the final slot in his team was going to remain empty, at least for now. "Well? How about it?" the scientist asked excitedly.

"I'd love to take Castform with me, but I can't do it. He likes it here. Castform, don't worry about me. Just enjoy yourself here at the Weather Institute; if you're happy, I'm happy," Silver replied as Castform floated over.

"Castform," Castform said in a melodic squeak, landing on his shoulder and reminding him painfully of Togetic. However, he wanted what was best for Castform, and left the Weather Institute just minutes later, waving to the scientists and his Castform and holding only a Weather Institute pencil and a folded piece of official writing paper with their logo at the top.

"See you, Castform! Be happy here. I'd like to get to know you better sometime, so in the future, I'll try and find time in my busy Hoenn Champion schedule to come and see you, OK?"

"Castform!" Castform replied happily from the shoulder of the head scientist.

"If you ever need him, just call. When we've perfected our weather-control device, we'll have no more need for him here, so he can go along with you. Just take him on holiday and use Sunny Day," the head scientist laughed. Silver waved one last time before rounding the corner, everyone but Shedinja in their Pokeballs.

"Holiday? What's one of those?" he said sarcastically, and continued up the route towards Fortree City as the amused Shed Pokemon floated silently beside him.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 30**

As they moved north of the Weather Institute, everyone's spirits were high; the long walk would soon be over, as Fortree City, their next destination, was close. Apparently, the City seemed similar to many others, as there was apparently little of interest apart from the Pokemon Gym. Here, Silver hoped to gain his sixth Gym badge, and in doing so be well on the way to challenging the Elite Four and becoming Hoenn Champion. What made them even happier was that they'd soon be out of the land of long grass, and so wouldn't face such a punishing trek again if they could help it. As they sat on the bank of a river, enjoying a celebratory snack, they watched a weird fish-like Pokemon swim around close by. According to the Pokedex, its name was Feebas, and it instantly reminded Silver of Magikarp.

"I don't think I'll be filling up the team with him, somehow. He must be pretty weak to be a Magikarp lookalike, and super-common as well. Come back, Corphish, he won't furnish you with a challenge," Silver sighed, getting up to drag Corphish away from the river until the feeble fish had swam away.

"Mind if I join you?" a familiar voice said from behind, just as Silver began to pack up, and he turned to see Emerald standing close by. She was smiling inscrutably and there was a glint in her eye.

"Well, we were just moving on, actually. The Gym in Fortree City isn't going to beat itself," Silver explained, stuffing the rest of the equipment and litter into his bag and straightening up.

"Fortree City? You haven't beaten that one yet? You're more behind than I thought you were. I'm off to get my seventh badge. Just thought I'd explore for a while and check out the native Pokemon," Emerald said, a note of superiority in her voice.

"I suppose that comes from your upbringing, doesn't it? Your dad always made you do fieldwork. I can't believe you've already beaten the sixth Gym, though. How did you even get past Dad?"

"Norman? Easy. I beat him first time around, and one of my Pokemon evolved as a result. I've got five now, and that's why I'm glad I unwittingly stumbled upon you. Want a battle?"

"Huh? Well, it's hardly going to be fair, is it? You know all of my Pokemon," Silver said defensively, indicating the group of creatures that waited close by.

"Unfortunately, yes. Zangoose and Seviper? Where exactly was your brain on the day you caught those two?"

"I caught them on purpose, actually. To show that a good Trainer can overcome cultural barriers," Silver retorted.

"Yeah, right. Anyway, if you return them all, I won't know which one you're going to use, will I? How about a four-on-four match-up? I'll need my fifth Pokemon fit and healthy to get me out of here,"

"You mean, to escape when you lose. Fine, a battle sounds good. It'll warm me up for my next Gym battle. Everyone, return. Let's see what Emerald sends out,"

"Oh no! No way. We're sending them out at the same time. I want to see if you can win without type advantages every time," Emerald demanded, hands on hips, and Silver knew better than to debate the point.

"Fine, fine. Three... two... one... Zangoose, go!"

"Masquerain, I choose you!" Emerald sent out an odd creature that floated on several thin wings. The Pokedex informed him that it was the evolved form of Surskit (whatever Surskit was) and that it used its patterned wings to intimidate foes. Silver hoped that Zangoose's innate calmness would allow him to ignore this. "Masquerain, Fury Cutter!" Masquerian dived down and started slashing at Zangoose with the tips of its wings, hoping to injure him and power up its attack at the same time.

"Zangoose, dodge with Quick Attack! Then Swords Dance!" Zangoose shot backwards, a silvery trail behind him as he sped out of Masquerain's range, before he span on the spot, adding to his own attack power an honing his talons.

"Masquerain, slow him up with Scary Face!" Masquerain spread its patterned wings wide, and arranged like that they almost looked like a terrifying mask with two huge, scary eyes. Zangoose stopped in his tracks, before unconsciously retreating a couple of steps, a worried expression on his face as he looked up at his enemy. "Now use Fury Cutter again!" Zangoose was thrown off his feet as Masquerain dived down again, slashing him with its wings and buffeting him backwards, intent on defeating him.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" Silver commanded, hoping that Scary Face wouldn't affect the incredible speed of the move. Luckily, Zangoose managed to pull it off, and dodged to the side of Masquerain's slashing wings before tackling him from the side. Masquerain was fast and evidently powerful, but it also showed that it was also fragile as it spiralled towards the ground.

"Pull yourself together, Masquerain! Strike back with Steel Wing!" Masquerain slowed its descent, then angled its wings and rocketed down towards Zangoose, pounding him with two glowing appendages.

"This little guy's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. But then again, we're not exactly powerless ourselves, are we?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose replied, ready to fight back.

"Masquerain, don't give him the chance! Steel Wing again!"

"Zangoose, try a Double Team!" Silver said, going for the unexpected, and Zangoose looked confused for second. Suddenly, however, there were a dozen confused-looking Zangooses, surrounding Masquerain and leaving the creature wondering which one was real. "Yes! I always think the best time to learn an attack is under pressurised conditions. Swords Dance!" The dozen Zangooses wove their deadly dance, looking like a strange, synchronised group of performers as they further sharpened their attack power.

"Blow them all away with Silver Wind!" Emerald cried, and Masquerian flapped its wings, sending out a gust of air that swirled with slivers of pure, shining force. One by one the Zangooses fell as the Silver Wind swept them away, until only the real Zangoose was left. "Now we've found him, focus your Silver Wind on him!" This time, a concentrated blast of silvery air thundered towards Zangoose, who was looking to his Trainer for guidance.

"Dodge with Quick Attack!" Silver ordered, and Zangoose barely managed to slip away from the strike, which pounded the ground with unexpected power.

"Steel Wing!" As Zangoose recovered from his narrow dodge, Masquerain dived again, and took him across the chest with one of its glowing wings. Zangoose was thrown backwards and landed on his back, hissing in pain.

"Zangoose, no! Can you get up?" Silver asked, and Zangoose sat up, rubbing his head and looking disoriented.

"Masquerain, Steel Wing one last time!"

"Zangoose, Slash!" Silver ordered desperately, and Zangoose leapt up, raking his claws up Masquerain's face whilst being battered by the Bug Pokemon's wings. Both Pokemon fell to the ground, but only Zangoose still looked capable of battling.

"Masquerain, return. I didn't expect Zangoose's attack to be so high that it could take you out in one blow. But don't worry, my next Pokemon will wipe the smile off Silver's face," Emerald said, looking over at Silver with annoyance.

"Zangoose, come back. You were really good. Well done for mastering Double Team; if your enemies can't hit you, and you keep powering up your attack, who can ever stop you? Not any Masquerain I know," Silver said, raising his voice so that Emerald would hear. Emerald ground her teeth angrily before snatching at another Pokeball.

"Three... two... one... Lombre, go!" she cried, releasing the lily-pad Pokemon Silver had faced before.

"Seviper, I choose you! Oh yes! Looks like we have got the type advantage after all," Silver said, smiling maddeningly over at Emerald.

"I don't care. Lombre can beat a Seviper any day of the week. Lombre, Nature Power!" she ordered, and Lombre seemed to be absorbing power from the grass under his feet. Suddenly, he spat out a barrage of floating orange spores Silver knew very well.

"Stun Spore! Seviper, use Glare!" Silver cried, and as the orange spores coated him, Seviper enchanted Lombre, staring deep into his eyes and Paralysing him as the Water Pokemon was helpless to resist. "Now we're both Paralysed," he said smugly.

"I don't know why you're looking so pleased with yourself. Any five year old could have come up with that stunt. You could've dodged it and hit Lombre with an attack," Emerald said, and to his frustration he knew she was right. "Lombre, Water Pulse!" Lombre raised his arms and seemingly used them to focus the power of the water that was flooding from his duck-billed mouth.

"Seviper, Bite!" Silver countered, and Seviper darted forwards. However, mid-lunge, he froze in place, Paralysed; seconds later, he was blasted backwards by a jet of water, and landed in a tangled heap. When he rose, his head was swaying back and forth, and he looked completely puzzled.

"Ha! Confused and Paralysed. Lombre, you've got this one in the bag. Use Absorb!" Seviper hissed as he was pounded by crackles of green energy which sapped away his health.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Silver countered, and Seviper swung his purple tail in an arc. However, somehow he managed to strike himself with it, and reeled in complete disarray as his Paralysis, Lombre's Absorb and his own attack all compounded against him.

"Come on, put up at least some resistance. I don't want my victory to be too easy," Emerald said, looking confident and superior once more.

"Seviper, stay calm. You can do this. Try another Bite!" Seviper shook off his confusion and charged through the Absorb attack, fixing his sharp fangs around Lombre's lily-pad hat. Lombre staggered backwards in pain, his attack sputtering into nonexistence. "Now use Wrap!" Seviper swept his whole body around and encircled Lombre, trying to crush him in his coils like a snake constricting its helpless prey. Silver wiped his brow; at least now Seviper's Wrap would keep doing damage to Lombre, even if Seviper ended up getting Paralysed again.

"Lombre, get him off there with Fake Out!" Lombre vanished for a split-second, leaving Seviper's coils to close upon nothing, before the creature reappeared and slapped Seviper across the face with his long arms. Seviper flinched away, trying to regain his bearings as Lombre pressed his advantage. "Now use Water Pulse!" Seviper was battered by a precision blast of water, and to Silver's dismay he lay limply on the ground, splay-out and defeated.

"Seviper, return. It was that Paralysis that ultimately killed us off; I should've asked you to dodge. But don't worry, me and Emerald are equal now, and you did your best,"

"Lombre, return. You were excellent. Well well, Silver. It looks like you can't even win when you _do_ have the type advantage now," Emerald mocked, a smile on her face as she needled her rival.

"Zangoose beat you, and he didn't have a type advantage," Silver pointed out bluntly.

"Only because I didn't expect him to be so powerful. But now I'm on my guard, nothing can beat me. Ready for round three?"

"Sure. Three... two... one... Breloom, go!"

"Slugma, I choose you! Aha! Now look who's on the receiving end! Grass is weak against Fire, unless I'm very much mistaken," Emerald said as the lava-like creature bubbled and spat cinders into the air.

"We may have a disadvantage, but we can still win, right Breloom?"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried, wagging his tail.

"Slugma, Rock Throw!" Emerald ordered, and Slugma hurled pieces of his own hardened body at Breloom.

"Breloom, Mach Punch them!" Silver retorted, and Breloom darted in with incredible speed, shattering the rocks in mid-air before they could even get close to striking him. "That was fantastic!" Silver cried as Breloom stopped in his tracks, surrounded by rubble and opposing a creature desperately trying to recover its body mass by melting the ground beneath it.

"Slugma, Amnesia!" Emerald said, and Slugma suddenly stopped, looking puzzled as if it had forgotten something vitally important. Silver knew from experience that its defence against special attacks had gone sky-high. Luckily, he knew a way around that.

"Breloom, Iron Tail!" he ordered, and Breloom leapt in, sweeping his glowing tail around and battering Slugma away. Luckily the protection Iron Tail had provided Breloom's tail had been sufficient to stop him getting burned by Slugma's Flame Body, just as Silver hoped. It had also gotten under the protection Slugma had just given itself with Amnesia, being a physical attack.

"Slugma, Harden!" Emerald commanded, and there was a crackling noise as Slugma hardened its outer skin into rock, giving it at least some protection from Breloom's blows. "Now, Ember!" Slugma breathed a spurt of fire towards Breloom, hoping to catch him out on his weakness.

"Breloom, dodge and use Stun Spore!" Breloom rolled away from the attack and sent a wave of spores wafting towards Slugma, spores which landed on his fiery body and set about Paralysing him.

"Slugma, use Amnesia again!" Slugma shook off the Stun Spore's effects as best he could and concentrated on upping his special defence, making it practically impossible for Mega Drain to accomplish anything. However, Breloom had more than that in his arsenal.

"Breloom, Mach Punch! Try and shatter the rocky skin he's given himself!" Silver ordered, and Breloom sped forwards, punching the thin layer of hardened magma and smashing it to smithereens with ease. As the shards were re-absorbed by Slugma, Breloom waited for more orders. "Iron Tail!" Breloom's tail slammed right between Slugma's eyes, which soon grew disoriented as the creature pooled outwards.

"Keep it together, Slugma! Ember!" Emerald encouraged, and Breloom was blasted away by a fiery breath, crying out in pain and stumbling over backwards. "Now use Rock Throw!" Breloom was pounded by hurled rocks in his helpless position, and was soon covered in debris.

"Breloom, smash your way out of there with Mach Punch!"

"Just what I expected! Ember, and make it a good one!" Emerald said triumphantly, and as Breloom leapt into the air, battering his way free, he was enveloped by another blast of fire from Slugma. The Grass Pokemon fell to the floor and his eyes rolled helplessly.

"No! Breloom, return. You did well considering you had the type disadvantage. We were just unlucky the Paralysis didn't work in time,"

"Unlucky my foot! Slugma beat you easily. Return, Slugma, you did me proud. Now it's time to finish this little party off. Three... two... one... Grovyle, let's go!" Treecko's evolved form finally made his appearance, taller and more intimidating than Treecko himself and with a darker shade of skin colour. His arms were spread out and he looked as if he was going to use the leaves on his forearms as weapons of some sort. At the same time that Grovyle was sent out, Combusken took to the battle-field, giving Silver the type advantage again. Would it be enough to win, though? "How does it feel to know you're going to lose?" Emerald taunted.

"You should know, you've been in that situation enough," Silver retorted. Combusken and Grovyle merely glared at each other, letting their Trainers insult each other as they prepared for battle. "Combusken, we need this for a draw. I'm depending on you,"

"Grovyle, it's time to show Silver that I'm a way better Trainer than he is! Use Screech!" Grovyle let out a loud squeal, so high-pitched it created a sonic disturbance that blasted Combusken off his feet and hoped to lower his defences drastically. However, Combusken hopped straight back up, awaiting commands.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" Combusken leapt into battle and battered Grovyle's stomach with two incredibly fast kicks, one after the other, winding the reptile and sending him reeling backwards. "Now Scratch!" Grovyle was knocked off his feet as Combusken swiped his cheek with his claws; however, Grovyle rolled away from his foe and got to his feet as if the attack had never happened.

"Grovyle, Pursuit!" Grovyle darted behind Combusken and kicked him in the back, knocking him forwards into the dirt before retreating, looking triumphant.

"Combusken, are you OK?" Silver asked, and Combusken rose easily, gritting his beak as he focused on Grovyle. "I knew that wouldn't do much damage. Focus Energy!" Combusken closed his eyes and branded victory into his thoughts, not allowing any other result to intrude as he psyched himself up.

"Grovyle, Fury Cutter!" Grovyle used the leaves on his forearms to strike at Combusken again, although this time the effect was minimal, and Combusken wasn't even knocked down. His eyes opened, however, and he looked more dangerous than ever.

"Yes! Now we're getting somewhere. Combusken, Double Kick!"

"Leaf Blade, Grovyle!" Grovyle's leaves glowed green and flowed into one long scythe as he darted forwards to meet Combusken's charge. The Leaf Blade slammed against Combusken's face at the same time as the Double Kick pounded Grovyle's stomach again, and both Pokemon stepped back to take a breather. It was looking pretty equal so far, but neither Trainer was willing to let this continue. "Grovyle, Pursuit!"

"Combusken, jump up! Then use Double Kick!" Silver used the same tactic that he had used against Norman's Slaking, and as Grovyle stumbled forwards into the place Combusken had occupied a split-second before, Combusken landed on top of him, delivering two powerful kicks at once and making the Grass Pokemon buckle.

"Grovyle, your jumping skills aren't anything to laugh at, either! Leap away and use Leaf Blade!" Grovyle manoeuvred his legs underneath him and bounced away from Combusken, twisting in mid-air and ricocheting off a nearby tree to hammer Combusken with another Leaf Blade. Once again, the two foes stopped for a second to rest. They seemed to respect each other, but there was no fear in either of their eyes. "That was fantastic, Grovyle! Get ready for a Leaf Blade that he'll never forget!" Grovyle's leaves blended together again into a single blade as he geared up for his most powerful blow yet.

"Combusken, Overheat!" Silver cried as Grovyle charged towards the Fire Pokemon, and the Grass Pokemon was blasted backwards by an unstoppable torrent of white flames that burned so hotly that it was almost beyond measure. Grovyle and Combusken hit the floor together, but whilst Combusken was merely winded and tired, Grovyle was blackened, burned and defeated.

"Grovyle, no! I should have known they'd stoop to Fire attacks to win the day. I can't say I'm surprised at you, Silver," Emerald said, glaring over at Silver as she returned her beloved Grovyle.

"Combusken, you were brilliant. Return for a well-deserved rest. It looks like we're equal this time," he added to Emerald.

"This time. Last time you beat me, this time we're equal... I know what I can expect to happen next time!" Emerald said, fired-up for victory.

"Yep. You'll lose to me again,"

"If we had a proper battle, I would've won. My last Pokemon is a Grass type, and you've got Corphish left; you wouldn't have stood a chance,"

"You were the one who came up with the rules. Probably because you couldn't bear to see _all_ of your Pokemon get beaten," Emerald sighed in annoyance and brushed her hair out of her face, taking on her usual confident expression.

"Right. Sure. You believe that. As much as I'd love to stay and watch you struggle on, I've got more important things to do. Tropius, come out!" she tapped a Pokeball to reveal a large, dinosaur-like creature with massive leaves for wings. Emerald climbed onto its back and seated herself comfortably at its neck. "I think it's Mossdeep City next, Tropius. Up to the flight?" Tropius nodded once and Emerald patted its long neck lovingly. "Well, see you, Silver. We may have drawn today, but next time will be different, you mark my words. Friends and rivals?"

"Sure. I'll see you sometime in the future. Watch out for me on TV," he said, referring to his inevitable interview after becoming Hoenn Champion. Emerald snorted with laughter.

"I already have. You may have slaughtered Gabby and Ty, but you haven't got much of a way with words, have you?" she said, then deepened her voice to imitate his and took on a bewildered expression. "Er... er... thanks for the battle... I'd like to take the time to..." She laughed again and her usual voice returned. "What were you going to say? You'd like to take the time to mention a top-class Trainer like me?" Silver's face burned as she repeated the words of his interview back at him.

"No, I was going to say that I'd like to take the time to recommend that beginner Trainers take you on for some easy experience," he eventually spluttered.

"Whatever. Here, take this," She picked a banana-like fruit off Tropius' chin and tossed it down to Silver. "They only taste delicious when the Tropius is raised with loving care by a great Trainer. Bye!" Silver grudgingly waved as Tropius bore Emerald off towards Mossdeep City, and as he walked along with Shedinja he tasted the fruit gingerly. To his annoyance, it was the nicest fruit he had ever eaten.

"Humph! With friends like her, who needs enemies?" he huffed, tossing the skin aside and stomping off towards his next challenge: Fortree City's Poemon Gym.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 31**

Fortree City was, in fact, completely the opposite of what he had expected. He had thought that the City would be just another uninteresting stop-off point of his journey, and that the Gym was the only stand-out feature for a travelling Trainer. What he saw instead was a large cluster of tree-houses suspended amidst a thick forest. An entire city, up in the trees, whilst he languished on the ground wondering how on earth he was going to challenge the Gym if he couldn't even get up to it. He wished Noctowl and his flying harness were here to provide easy, albeit embarrassing, elevation to the city, but he had no Flying types at all. The houses were far too high for even Combusken to jump up to.

"Hello?" he cried in desperation, but predictably nobody heard him. "Well that's just great. What do we do now?" he muttered to himself, and released his Pokemon to see whether they could come up with any ideas. "Can any of you climb trees? Zangoose, you were in a tree when I first met you. D'you think you could scoot up a trunk and get someone to lower a ladder or something?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose replied, the faintest hint of an exasperated sigh in his voice, and he walked over to a tree with a house sprouting near the top and started to climb. His long claws were a great help, but apparently an arboreal existence wasn't favoured by most of his species, as he made slow progress. Seviper was watching expectantly, as if he was waiting for his team-mate to fall, and to Silver's annoyance Corphish was right there next to him.

"I wonder what types the Gym Leader uses," he asked to break the silence. "Emerald 'forgot' to tell us, after all. I'm sure Scott will be waiting for us. Hopefully we'll have a type advantage, so we can catch up to Emerald as quickly as possible..." The Pokemon didn't seem to be listening, so he continued to mutter to himself, railing against the evils of his rival. Eventually, Combusken spoke up, and Silver followed his pointing finger to see Zangoose on one of the treetop platforms, waving down at them as someone beside him unfurled a rope ladder. The ladder tumbled down and the end landed close by, so Silver grabbed its rungs and returned Seviper and Corphish, who weren't suited for the climb. Then, firming his grip upon the ladder, he began to pull himself upwards. He kept telling himself not to look down, as he hated heights, but being surrounded by empty air and trees reinforced the fact that he was swinging several dozen feet above the ground. However, Shedinja was there as always, and comforted his friend with his mere presence. When he finally pulled himself up over the edge and crawled onto the platform, he found himself face to face with a girl wearing purple. Her lustrous, icy-blue hair flowed down her back, but a lot of it was covered by a white aviator's mask complete with thick goggles, which also concealed a lot of her face.

"Another visitor to our fair city," she said in a dreamy voice. "Welcome to Fortree. Here, we hope to live with nature as much as possible. I hope you enjoy your stay,"

"Thanks. I'm not too fond of heights, so I think I'll go to the Pokemon Centre and Gym, then get out of here. And the Pidgey Post Office," he reminded himself, patting the pocket which contained Crystal's newest souvenirs.

"You do not like heights? To one such as me, that is very strange. Who can not aspire to soar like a graceful Lugia, to feel the air rushing past you, to see the ground laid out beneath you like a map?" the girl replied, taken aback by his words.

"Nothing can beat the firmness of normal ground, in my opinion. Anyway, thanks for lowering the rope ladder. Well done, Zangoose. You were great,"

"Zangoose," Zangoose smiled at the recognition.

"If you wish to leave as soon as possible, then perhaps you can challenge me at the Gym first thing tomorrow morning?" the girl proposed.

"Challenge you? So you're the Gym Leader?" Silver replied, narrowly avoiding staggering backwards and tumbling to his death at the shock.

"Yes. I thought you knew, so I am sorry. My name is Winona. It is a pleasure to meet you. But I must be going; the life of a Gym Leader is hectic indeed, and I would not wish to delay your day any further either. Goodbye," Winona bowed and hurried across a walkway, disappearing into the city to carry out her duties.

"Weird. But polite. And as Mum always said, 'Manners make a man'. Or woman, in this case," he said to himself, but when he saw that his Pokemon were looking at him blankly, he scanned the city for any sign of the Post Office or Pokemon Centre. "Ah, there's the Post Office! But it looks like the Pokemon Centre's right across town from it... OK, do you guys want to go to the Pokemon Centre whilst I send off Crystal's stuff? I'll meet you there. Seviper, Corphish, come out. You lot are going to the Pokemon Centre, OK? I'll see you in a few minutes," The Pokemon wandered off in one direction, a mismatched group that made Silver worry about his Championship chances, whilst he and Shedinja took the opposite direction. The walkways that joined each house and platform were like rope bridges, and Silver couldn't shake the image he had seen in movies and TV shows that rope bridges were always sites for ambush, where bad guys would appear at both ends and cut the ropes, sending those on board hurtling to their doom. As the wind whistled past, sending the bridge rocking, he realised that Fortree City may well replace Mauville as his top most hated Hoenn City. Eventually, the Post Office was in sight; just one more walkway separated them from each other. Gripping the rope banisters tightly, he edged his way across, looking up rather than down, and as a result he crashed into something that was blocking the way. "Oh no! Sorry, I... huh?" he looked down to see nothing there. Fearfully checking over the sides, in case he had pitched someone or something off the bridge entirely, he suddenly heard a weird chuckling noise. All of a sudden, something leapt up and snatched the headband from his head. The invisible creature then put the headband on its own head and jumped onto the banister, scurrying across it as if it was a normal pavement, heading further into the city where it wouldn't be cornered. "Hey! Come back!" he cried, but the thing ignored him. Luckily, he could keep track of it by his headband, and managed to follow it. "I've got an idea," Silver puffed as he chased the creature around, and pulled out the Pokedex, waving it in the general direction of the creature.

"_Kecleon. The Colour Swap Pokemon. A Pokemon that has the ability to alter its body colours to match its surroundings. A Kecleon reverts to its original colours if startled._" There was also a picture of a chameleon-like creature that was apparently what Kecleon normally looked like.

"So he reverts back to his original form if startled, eh? Well, how can we do that if we can't catch him?" Silver said in annoyance, changing direction as Kecleon dodged between his legs and went back the way he came. Eventually, just when he thought he had Kecleon cornered, the creature vanished completely, the headband floating to the ground. Silver edged forwards and picked it up gingerly, before placing it back on his head. When nothing more happened, he turned to go back to the Post Office, happy that he had triumphed over the annoying creature. However, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Kecleon standing close by, in his normal form, juggling two Pokeballs and balancing on the rope banister as if he were a circus performer. Needless to say, Silver looked at his belt and two Pokeballs were missing. "Give them back! They don't belong to you!" Silver cried, but he didn't dare approach in case he made the creature lose its balance. Eventually, Kecleon hurled the two Pokeballs at Silver, and they bounced off his forehead one after the other. Before he could even recover from this, Kecleon laughed nasally again, and inflicted a Lick attack straight to the face. Recoiling in disgust as his face tingled unpleasantly, he was powerless to stop Kecleon turning invisible and scooting off again to doubtlessly cause more mischief. "Shedinja, couldn't you have done something?" Silver said, frustrated, as he wiped his face and continued, but he received no reply. He eventually got back to the Post Office, and sent off Crystal's things, and luckily by then he had calmed down and so enjoyed a relaxing walk to the Pokemon Centre. When he entered, he checked in to sleep overnight, and procured a small map of the city so he could pinpoint where the Gym was before walking into the garden to relax. There were several Trainers in there, all grooming or playing with their Pokemon, and Silver found a chair to sit down and watch until his Pokemon were returned to him.

"Silver! I never expected to see you here, my friend," Silver jumped and snapped out of his reverie, having been watching an exciting game of volleyball between Pokemon, and looked up to see Steven Stone standing there.

"Steven! Hi! How are you?" he asked, remembering the man from his visit to Devon Corporation.

"I am well, thank you. Yourself?"

"I'm good. Found any more rare stones lately?"

"Unfortunately, duty has interfered with my leisure pursuits. I have been travelling around trying to find out what Team Aqua and Team Magma are up to. I have never seen the two teams so active and above-ground as they have been lately, which is a cause for concern to say the least, as it means they must be getting close to their goals. But I am rude to inflict you with my concerns. How is your journey coming along?"

"It's going OK, thank you. Five badges at the minute, and I'm challenging Winona tomorrow," Silver tapped the badges on his chest.

"You are rising swiftly through the ranks. You must have a close bond with your Pokemon for such a quick victory over five Gyms. Are they being treated at the moment?"

"Yep. Oh, speak of the devil... here comes Combusken and Corphish. How are you both? All healed up?" Silver asked as the Pokemon approached. Combusken nodded, but Corphish merely waved a claw casually and started crawling over to join in with the volleyball. "Corphish, come back! OK, if you're going to ignore me, you can get back into your Pokeball... oh no!" he slapped his forehead. "I should've predicted this!"

"What is wrong? Have you lost your Pokeballs?" Steven asked, concerned, as Silver dragged Corphish back with his own two hands.

"Lost? Hardly. Some annoying Kecleon took two of them. And I can't find him, because he can turn invisible!" Silver lamented.

"Perhaps I can help you here. In fact, I am certain of it. This device," he took out a black, sleek pair of binoculars, with lots of dials on, "Is known as a Devon Scope. It is obviously product of my father's company, Devon Corporation. It has many applications, and fortunately spotting invisible or camouflaged Pokemon is one of them. I'm sure my father will not mind you borrowing it for long enough to deal with your troublesome Kecleon,"

"Really? Are you sure?" Silver asked doubtfully, accepting the Devon Scope.

"Of course. I merely ask you to take care with it, and return it when you are done,"

"Sure, I'll look after it. Thanks, Steven. I really appreciate it," Steven smiled.

"Just promise me that you shall not hurt Kecleon too badly. He is likely mischievous rather than evil or nasty," Silver grudgingly promised, and Steven said, "I shall wait in my room until you return. My Pokemon shall keep watch for you. Until then, good day,"

"See you later," Silver waved as Steven walked back inside the Pokemon Centre. "Like I said before, he's weird, but nice. You guys haven't met him yet; he's Steven Stone, one of my friends here in Hoenn. You can trust him, I think. Oh, here comes Zangoose and Breloom. But where's Seviper?" Zangoose and Breloom joined their companions, but were just as clueless as Silver when it came to Seviper's whereabouts. "Let's go inside," he said worriedly, and walked quickly back into the Pokemon Centre, stopping at the desk to ask the nurse. "Excuse me, I own a shiny Seviper that came here on his own. Do you know where he is?"

"A shiny Seviper? Yes, he's just back here. But he was quite badly damaged by a recent battle, and it appears that his skin has suffered scraping from the Rough Skin of a Carvanha or Sharpedo," the nurse replied quickly, having half an eye on the nearby computer that she was working at.

"Yeah, it was a Carvanha. Will he be alright?"

"Yes, he'll be fine. I must advise that you take better care of him in future, though," Silver was scandalised. Who was she to tell him how to look after his beloved Seviper, whose skin he polished every day? Did she expect him to have a portable Pokemon Centre in his pocket, to heal his Pokemon whenever they got hurt?

"How long will it take for him to recover?"

"Well, for all of the Rough Skin scars to be cleaned off, it'll take about a quarter of an hour,"

"Don't worry about that, I'll do it myself later, if you show me how. I love polishing his skin, after all," he explained, quite disgruntled.

"As his Trainer, it's your decision. But polishing him is quite unnecessary, as every now and again he sheds his skin, which becomes as good as new," the nurse replied blithely, and Silver snarled as she went into the back room to retrieve Seviper. As he slithered out, looking as brilliant as ever, he hissed happily and waved his tail in greeting.

"Hi, Seviper. Feeling better?" Seviper hissed again, beaming as his skin gleamed brightly. The only dull patches were those criss-crossed with tiny, shallow scars that would have healed naturally in time anyway. "We're going to catch us a Kecleon. He's stolen your Pokeball and Corphish's too, so we can't let him get away," Silver explained, and he and his team hurriedly left the Centre, alert for any sign of their foe. Silver fumbled with the Devon Scope and raised it to his eyes, hoping that it was already on the necessary setting, and jumped backwards as Kecleon reared up in front of him, its face magnified by the Scope as it laughed to itself. "Well, we meet again, Kecleon! But this time you can't turn invisible," Silver warned, tapping the Devon Scope, but Kecleon was visible anyway. He was holding the two Pokeballs and grinning. "Combusken, jump over him and seal off his escape! Breloom, he's a Normal type, so be prepared with Mach Punch," Combusken landed behind Kecleon threateningly, cutting off his route, whilst Breloom charged in to battle the creature. Kecleon was battered away by the swift strike, but as he landed his skin changed to an orangey colour, whilst his muscles seemed more defined somehow. "Breloom, Mega Drain! Combusken, drive him towards Breloom with Double Kick!" Kecleon cried out as the green bolts zapped him, and in a trice his skin had changed to a dark, leafy green colour, as if he was affected by the Mega Drain on a deeper level than usual. "Hey, wait a minute... Pokedex, have a look at him again," Silver said cottoning on as he pointed the device at Kecleon. "Yes! His ability makes him change type according to what attacks are used against him! Well, it looks like he's a Grass type now. Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper leapt over Breloom as the mushroom Pokemon backed off, and slammed a super-effective glowing tail between Kecleon's eyes.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon, stumbling backwards and turning a sickly purple colour. The Pokeballs dropped out of his grasp and rolled towards the edge, but inexplicably the Colour Swap Pokemon stuck out his tongue, catching the Pokeballs on its sticky end.

"It looks like he's not so bad after all. Corphish, Knock Off!" Corphish leapt into battle, as Silver knew he was dying to, and whacked Kecleon on the skull with his claw. Everyone stood back as Kecleon staggered around, changing from purple to green to orange to normal, then back again, as his eyes grew hazy. After a few seconds, he slumped backwards, unconscious. Silver hurried over, checking that Corphish hadn't gone too far, and, satisfied, peeled his Pokeballs off Kecleon's tongue. "Eww! These are going to need a wash, and then some," he said disgustedly as he felt their damp, sticky surfaces. He turned back to the unconscious Kecleon and a strange plan came to mind. He remembered Castform's ability to change type according to the weather, and how that had astounded him. Now he was faced with a Pokemon who could conceivably become any type it wanted to, according to what attacks hit it. What was more, he had one spare slot in his team. "What the heck. Pokeball, go!" He lobbed his last Pokeball at Kecleon, and the chameleon creature was drawn inside. The Pokeball shook once or twice, then sealed itself. He had caught Kecleon! "Yes! I might regret it, but there you go. It can't get any worse than Corphish," he said, and picked up Kecleon's Pokeball.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, apparently oblivious to the comment, but he leapt up and whacked Silver across the head with Knock Off anyway.

"Now we've got your Pokeball back, you can return, you liability. Everyone else, too, apart from Seviper. I've got a certain nurse to prove wrong... Oh! First I've got to see what Kecleon's made of," he released the sprawled-out Kecleon, pointed the Pokedex at it and said, "Overview,"

"_This particular Kecleon is of the male gender. Its personality falls mainly into the Jolly category, which is typified by its ability to get on well with most Pokemon. He knows Thief, Faint Attack, Lick and Psybeam._"

"Thanks, Pokedex. He can get on with _most_ Pokemon, but can he get on with you guys? He's certainly weird enough. Typical how he knows an attack called Thief," Silver muttered, recalling Kecleon and returning to the Pokemon Centre with Seviper and Shedinja following behind. He met Steven in the lobby as he handed Kecleon over to the nurses and gave back the Devon Scope. "Thanks, but it turns out I didn't need it. Kecleon came to me. How did you know when to come down?"

"As I said, I assigned my Pokemon to keep watch. I saw your battle with Kecleon through the window, and I must admit I was impressed. Using its ability against it was a clever strategy. I must be going, but before I do, I'd like to wish you good luck for the future. Now, with a full team, you are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps someday in the far future we can battle each other, but I am sure that for now the remaining Gyms of Hoenn and the Hoenn League itself will provide ample challenge. I personally believe that people should train their favourites rather than looking for strong Pokemon, for the strongest Pokemon to be found in the world will have a close bond with their Trainer. I see from your team that you understand my thought processes; you lack any 'powerhouses', and yet still you do well and succeed. But I have kept you talking for too long with my personal views. Goodbye, and I hope we meet again," Steven shook his hand and left, leaving Silver, Seviper and Shedinja standing uselessly in the lobby, pondering his words. Silver was worried; Steven was right, he didn't have any powerhouses. Typhlosion, Gengar and Politoed had all been power Pokemon, whilst the others were either agile or secret weapons. Now all of his Pokemon had to rely on skill to win the day; most couldn't survive a strong, direct hit from a foe. Would this be his downfall? Would he be outmatched by people who did have powerhouses in their team? Then he reminded himself; he had triumphed over powerhouses before. Norman's Slaking was a prime example. Pokemon didn't have to be big and physically strong to win, they merely had to have skill, daring and a close bond with their Trainer. Silver liked to believe that he had all of these bases well and truly covered.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 32**

After all of his walking, chasing after Kecleon and battling that day, Silver found it quite easy to drop off to sleep, although he did have a weird dream involving Kecleon being the Fortree City Gym Leader. He still felt tired when he woke up, but he realised he needed his wits about him when he released Kecleon to introduce him to the others.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon cried as the Pokemon surrounded him, then disappeared, either turning invisible or using Faint Attack. He reappeared upon Seviper's head, looking pleased with himself, and jumped away as Seviper tried to whack him away. Needless to say, Seviper's tail slammed into his own head, and Kecleon danced happily on the floor, grinning at the serpent's annoyance.

"I thought the Pokedex said you could get along well with others! Anyway, let's go down to breakfast. I want you all to be feeling good for today's match," Silver said, and they headed down to the food hall to eat. Today was the day of his Gym battle with Winona, and hopefully the day he would win his sixth Hoenn Gym badge. He now had a complete team; Combusken, Breloom, Corphish, Zangoose, Seviper and Kecleon. Plus Shedinja of course, but he didn't count. It was now that he had to prove he was worthy of becoming Hoenn Champion, and that he had a team to be proud of. He sat down in the food court and watched his Pokemon thoughtfully, chewing on his toast slowly. All of them had strengths and weaknesses, and it was up to him to bring out their strengths and work with their weaknesses. If they worked hard and kept their heads level, they could do anything.

"Corphish!" Corphish said impatiently, stirring him from his thoughts by tugging on his bag.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry guys, I didn't know you were waiting. I must've been completely zoned out. Ready for battle?" The usual cacophony came in response, and they cleared away their plates and bowls and headed for the Gym. On the way there, Silver noticed a creature he recognised as Unown, a Pokemon from his native Johto region, and it was being put through its paces by its Trainer, a young girl. He stopped to watch the familiar Pokemon for a second, recalling fond memories of his Johto adventure, and the girl cried,

"Unown, Hidden Power!" Unown seemingly didn't respond, but suddenly the air was parted by a rippling, translucent beam of Psychic energy that emanated from its huge eye.

"That's pretty cool. I've never heard of Hidden Power before," Silver spoke up as the attack died down.

"Huh? Oh, hello! I think almost any Pokemon can learn it. Also, it differs from Pokemon to Pokemon, depending on their species, type and personality. A Fire Pokemon will probably breathe fire rather than send out a Psychic wave, for example," the girl explained happily.

"It differs according to type and Pokemon, eh? So if a Pokemon changed type, the attack would change too?"

"I guess so. But I don't know any Pokemon that can change its type, apart from Ditto,"

"I've got one right here!" Silver said triumphantly, and Kecleon looked taken aback as all eyes focused on him.

"Kecleon?" he asked quizzically, tilting his head to one side.

"And if almost any Pokemon can learn it, I'm sure Kecleon can. How would you feel about teaching my Kecleon Hidden Power? I'd pay you however you want," Silver suggested.

"You want me to teach Kecleon Hidden Power? Well, it will be Unown teaching him technically, because he'll be watching him. I've never been a teacher before... are you sure you'd trust me to look after him?"

"You seem like a good Trainer. And Kecleon's the one I have trust issues with, he can be a bit mischievous. If you're willing, then thanks, but if not, sorry for wasting your time," Silver said, and made to walk off.

"OK, I'll do it. In Fortree City, we're pretty sheltered; I'd appreciate some stuff from the outside world, if you have any," the girl called him back. He shared a grin with Corphish and rootled around in his messenger bag.

"Oh yes, I've got tons," Minutes later, Silver was being waved off by the girl and Kecleon. The girl was wearing a certain T-shirt with the words 'Marshtomp Thanks' emblazoned across it and holding a toy Marshtomp in one hand. On a small table nearby was a similarly-decorated mug, currently full of water. "I thought we'd never get rid of that stuff. And to such a willing person, too. It looks like your embarrassing, gut-wrenching betrayal was good for something after all, Corphish,"

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish cried, waving his pincers enthusiastically.

"Hopefully we won't need six Pokemon for this Gym. I doubt it; the only Gym Leader with six Pokemon I've ever faced was Blue, and he was the final Kanto Leader. We'll soon find out, anyway, because there's Scott!" Silver traversed the final walkway separating him from the Gym and met Scott waiting outside. "How on earth did you get up here? Did Hypno levitate you or something?" Silver joked.

"Er... something like that," Scott said ruefully, and Silver realised that he was closer to the truth than he first believed. "But that's beside the point. Ready for your sixth Gym battle?"

"Of course. Oh yeah, I caught a Kecleon yesterday. He fits right into my team, he's an out and out weirdo like the rest of them. Who's the Gym Leader anyway? Oh, don't answer that, I forgot I met her yesterday," Silver said hastily. "Don't worry, I don't even know what types she trains! She lowered the rope ladder because Zangoose climbed up and saw she was the closest person," he assured his friend, who was looking annoyed.

"Next time, Zangoose, choose a bit better," he said severely to the Cat Ferret, before turning his attention back to Silver. "Winona trains Flying types, which could be a bit tough for you; Breloom and Combusken are both weak against them, and you don't have any who are strong against Flying types. Then again, Flying Pokemon aren't renowned to be super-strong like Electric types; they're more engineered towards speed, and using flight to power their attacks and defences. Tactics are the way to win here," he advised.

"Flying types... I should've guessed from the way she went on about heights. Well, there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just have to hang tough and do our best," Silver said with determination, and Scott smiled as he opened the door.

"That's the Silver we all know and love. Good luck," he clapped Silver on the shoulder and the boy entered the Gym, recalling all of his Pokemon on the way. Silver and Shedinja approached the battle-field as Scott and Hypno took to the sidelines, and Silver looked up in surprise as he saw that the ceiling above the battle-field had been cut away, so he could see the sky.

"Winona? It's me, Silver. Remember we were going to battle today?" he called tentatively, looking around for the Gym Leader. Suddenly, there was a great whooshing noise, and a bird-like creature fell through the hole in the roof. However, it stopped short of the ground and landed softly, allowing Winona to climb off its back safely. The Pokedex told Silver that the creature was Altaria, but before it could go in-depth, Winona had returned it.

"Sorry to delay, Silver. I always fly in the mornings with my Pokemon, to clear my head and focus my thoughts. That will be especially important for today, I feel. Are you ready for battle? Is four each OK?"

"Four each is good with me," Silver took his position opposite Winona on the battle-field, preparing for their duel.

"Pelipper, I choose you!" A pelican-like creature flapped over the battle-field, and according to the Pokedex it was a dual Flying and Water type. Wishing he had caught an Electric Pokemon on his travels, he cried,

"Corphish, go!" The lobster-like Pokemon clashed his pincers eagerly on seeing his foe. "That cancels out his Water type attacks, anyway. Ready to bump up the difference?"

"Corphish!" Corphish replied.

"Then let's start things off with Bubblebeam!" Corphish pointed his claw at Pelipper and blasted a volley of exploding bubbles at him.

"Pelipper, Protect!" Winona ordered, and a shimmering green shield spread around Pelipper, protecting him completely from damage as the bubbles burst against it uselessly. "Now, Supersonic!" Pelipper flapped its thin wings quickly and sent a wave of mind-warping sonic energy at Corphish as the Bubblebeam died down.

"Corphish, jump over it and hit him with Knock Off!" Corphish leapt upwards, lifting up his claw to whack Pelipper and dodging the Supersonic which passed beneath.

"Pelipper, up!" Winona said quickly, and Pelipper altered the angle of its attack, bathing the helpless Corphish in the Supersonic and messing up his attack completely as he fell to the ground, covering his ears with his claws. "Aerial Ace!" Pelipper did a loop-the-loop in mid-air before speeding towards Corphish like a missile.

"Corphish, to the side! Then Vicegrip his wing!" Silver retorted, and Corphish rolled aside as Pelipper dropped towards him, raising his claw to seize his wing. However, Pelipper switched course at the very last second, slamming into Corphish in a direct hit. The Ruffian Pokemon was hurled backwards, and Pelipper hovered above him, waiting for the order to finish him off. "Looks like Aerial Ace is another annoying attack that never misses. Try another Bubblebeam and see what he's made of," Corphish blasted a flurry of bubbles at the heavy Pelipper again, hopping to his feet and glaring up at Pelipper angrily.

"Pelipper, Protect! Then Aerial Ace!" Pelipper was once again enveloped in an impervious shield, before doing another loop-the-loop and diving towards Corphish like a bullet.

"I guessed this was coming. Use Harden, then Vicegrip!" Silver said triumphantly, and as Pelipper slammed into Corphish, who resisted his charge as his shell glowed with a protective sheen, the lobster-like creature fastened his claws around Pelipper's left wing, dragging him to the ground. Pelipper squawked in pain as Corphish increased the pressure as he tried to pull away.

"Pelipper, Supersonic whilst he's up close!" Pelipper flapped his free wing and buffeted Corphish away with another stream of sonic energy, making Corphish let go and stumble backwards, his eyes unfocused. Flapping back upwards, Pelipper awaited further orders. "Now use Water Gun!" Corphish was an easy target for the jet of water that sprayed from Pelipper's beak, which threw him helplessly backwards.

"Corphish, are you OK?" Silver asked, but Corphish couldn't hear him, his ears still ringing from the Supersonic as he stumbled up. "Try Knock Off!" Corphish swung his claw around and clattered himself around the head, but luckily this seemed to snap him out of his confusion, and he looked up at Pelipper with new light in his eyes as the Water Bird prepared to attack again.

"Finish him with Aerial Ace! Harden may protect him from some damage, but not all," Winona ordered, and after the loop-the-loop, Pelipper plummeted down into the attack.

"Corphish, Bubblebeam! But get ready for a Knock Off!" Silver said, knowing that this would be a pivotal moment if Corphish pulled it off. Pelipper dived down through the bubble stream, getting battered and beaten but still going, as Aerial Ace couldn't miss even if he wanted it to. When he came within a split-second of contact, Silver yelled, "Now!" Corphish swept his hammer-like claw upwards and slammed it into Pelipper as hard as he could, just as the Flying Pokemon rammed him as hard as possible. Pelipper ricocheted away like a misdirected football bouncing off a wall, whilst Corphish was thrown head-over-heels backwards, coming to a halt less than a metre in front of his Trainer. The Water Pokemon shook his head quickly and hopped back to his feet, ready to fight on despite, or perhaps because of, the damage he had received. Pelipper flapped shakily above him, clearly rattled by the blow but not defeated yet.

"Pelipper, keep him at a distance with Water Gun!" Winona ordered, and Pelipper spat a jet of water at his foe again.

"Time for the unexpected. You've obviously mastered Knock Off, so let's see if we can go one step further and use Crabhammer!" Silver gambled. Crabhammer was a signature move of creatures like Corphish and Krabby, and coupled with his high-powered special attacks and innate tenacity, Silver hoped it would become one of Corphish's most powerful moves. Corphish leapt up towards Pelipper, gazing unblinkingly into the water blast that sped towards him, and he lifted a claw, pointing it towards his foe. A second later, the pincer started to glow with power, and Corphish held it out in front of him, dispersing the water jet as he drew ever closer to Pelipper. When he was within a foot, Winona cried,

"Pelipper, Protect!" Pelipper raised its shield again, but this time something was wrong; it seemed weaker and less substantial than before, as if the move itself had completely failed. Corphish swung his arm around like a mace, building up power and momentum before slamming the Crabhammer onto the shield. The Protect shattered under the blow and Pelipper was knocked out of the air as the attack hit home; when he had landed, his eyes were rolling and his body was limp. Corphish landed close by and clashed his claws as if to say, 'That's what you get for messing with me,'. "Pelipper, return. I should have focused more on attack than defence. But you fought well anyway. Tropius, go!" A familiar Grass and Flying dual type took the field, flapping its leafy wings experimentally and focusing on Corphish.

"Looks like we'll finally get the chance to see Corphish versus Tropius. How ironic that Emerald isn't here to see it. Ready to keep going, buddy?"

"Corphish!" Corphish replied eagerly.

"This time we have a type advantage, Tropius. Use Sunny Day!" Tropius spat out a glowing orb that hovered over the battle-field, making it even brighter than it already was with the open ceiling.

"Man, I hate Sunny Day. I think I can see what's coming here, though; Solarbeam after Solarbeam. Corphish, hit Tropius with Vicegrip!" Corphish scuttled forwards and leapt up, fixing his claws around Tropius' long neck and trying to cut off his air supply. Tropius screeched and stumbled backwards as Corphish hung grimly on.

"Tropius, fly upwards, and use Solarbeam to blast Corphish away!" Tropius flapped its leafy wings and rose into the air, creating gusts of wind that were necessary to lift its large bulk. As it soared upwards, it gathered pure power in its mouth before hammering Corphish with a pure white beam; a super-effective attack that was the pride of any Grass Pokemon's arsenal. Corphish was hit so hard, and at such close range, that he was actually knocked out before he hit the floor, his pincers loosening around Tropius' neck. Silver ran onto the battle-field and managed to catch the lobster creature before he landed, returning him to his Pokeball.

"Phew! Lucky I reacted in time, right, buddy? Or we'd have Corphish pancakes right now. You were really good against Pelipper, and well done for learning Crabhammer. I'm sure it'll prove to be a great attack. Seviper, I choose you!" The Poison Pokemon took Corphish's place for a type advantage in Silver's favour, and he scrunched up like an accordion as the Sunny Day made his scales and skin shimmer more brightly than ever.

"Goodness! That Seviper is certainly impressive. But I know that he cannot fly, so Tropius still has the advantage. Tropius, use Synthesis!" Spreading his wings wide, Tropius sucked up solar energy to restore the health Corphish had Vicegripped away, leaving him as good as new.

"Back to square one, Seviper. But I know you can handle it,"

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed, waving his tail.

"Tropius, use Aerial Ace!" Winona ordered, and Tropius angled its wings, dropping down to slam into Seviper.

"We can't dodge this, so meet him head-on with a Bite! Try and get the back of his neck!" Seviper launched himself upwards like a spring, colliding with Tropius in mid-air. Seviper was battered as Tropius' large bulk threatened to smash him helplessly away, but somehow, as he fell, he fixed his teeth around Tropius' throat. As the creature squealed in pain again, flinching away, Seviper swung his body upwards, shifting his grip so he was biting the back of Tropius' neck. Just as Silver predicted, he was now safe from Solarbeam and Aerial Ace. "Now use Wrap to clip his wings!" Seviper stretched his body as far as he could to wrap his coils around Tropius' right wing joint, seizing up the wing and sending Tropius into a spiralling descent.

"Tropius, stay strong! Use Synthesis, and keep flexing that wing until you shake Seviper loose!" Tropius took heart from his Trainer's words, and started trying to pull his right wing free, using the other huge leaf to gather healing power from the Sunny Day. Silver could see that Seviper's grip was being gradually loosened, and any pain this caused Tropius was being soothed by Synthesis. Thus it was time for a more direct attack.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper slipped free amazingly quickly, using the momentum of his unwinding body to lend strength to his Poison Tail as he swung it into the back of Tropius' head. Tropius staggered away from his foe as the Poison Tail struck, and it seemed that Seviper had gone one step further than usual and Poisoned his foe. "Yes! Good work, Seviper!" Seviper purred in pleasure, coiled up again as he watched his foe struggle.

"Tropius, Solarbeam!" Winona ordered, seeing the battle waning, and Tropius spat a bolt of throbbing power at his foe.

"Seviper, dodge! Now use Poison Tail again!" Seviper jumped away from the Solarbeam and swung his tail into the side of Tropius' head, sending the creature reeling with pain.

"Tropius, Synthesis! Try and cure your Poison," Winona said, making Silver uneasy; did Tropius really have the power to focus his Synthesis so much? He didn't intend to find out.

"Seviper, Bite! Go for the wing this time, and see if you can hurt him badly enough that he can't take flight," he ordered, and Seviper darted forwards to strike.

"Tropius, fly up to dodge!" Winona said, seeing the dire ramifications should Seviper's attack work, and Tropius gave up on his super-concentrated Synthesis to launch himself upwards, out of reach. "Now use Solarbeam!" Tropius tried once again to blast Seviper, and this time he managed to hit; however, the Fang Snake managed to recoup himself relatively quickly, shaking away the cobwebs and hissing angrily.

"One last Poison Tail! Jump as high as you can!"

"Aerial Ace, Tropius! Go for a critical blow!" Winona ordered. Silver knew she was going for broke; now Tropius had no chance of dodging Seviper's Poison Tail, and had to rely on taking the serpent down with him. Tropius and Seviper hurtled towards each other, and Tropius slammed into his foe just as a Poison Tail sliced him across the face. The Grass Pokemon fainted as the blow struck home, but unluckily for Silver, he landed right on top of Seviper, crushing the last of the resistance out of him. Both Pokemon had fainted.

"That was pretty lucky for Tropius. Seviper, return; if not for that, you would've beaten him with ease," Silver said, recalling Seviper bitterly.

"Tropius, your last brave act allowed me to stay level with my opponent. You have done well. Skarmory, I choose you!" A steel bird emerged from the Pokemon, shrieking loudly and scraping its metal wings together.

"This guy looks tough. Poison types can't hurt Steel Pokemon, so it doesn't matter that you fainted, Seviper. But what to do now? We could go with Zangoose, but Normal moves don't do much damage to Steel types. Or we could use Combusken, and have a disadvantage for both sides. The heck with it... Zangoose, go! We'll power up your attacks so that Skarmory can't resist them, OK?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose said, seeing a dangerous foe and preparing for a fight and a half.

"Start off with a quick Swords Dance!" Zangoose did his usual spin, enabling his talons to get sharp enough to split a hair.

"Skarmory, Sand Attack!" Winona ordered, and Skarmory cast a flurry of dirt into Zangoose's eyes, spoiling his aim.

"Good strategy, but we're not helpless ourselves. Keep up Swords Dance, Zangoose!" Despite his misgivings, Zangoose continued to work into an ever more elaborate dance, sending his attack power up higher and higher.

"We shall keep up the Sand Attack, then. What use is power if you cannot hit?" Winona remarked to herself as Skarmory cast more dust into Zangoose's watering eyes. Several seconds later, the battle started in earnest; Zangoose's attack power was at its tremendous peak, whilst Skarmory had kept up the Sand Attack until his accuracy was at an all-time low.

"OK, Zangoose, let's see how they like a bit of lowered accuracy. Double Team!" A dozen Zangooses flashed into existence, surrounding Skarmory, who didn't look in the least bit afraid. Winona smiled.

"Unfortunately, your strategy leaves something to be desired. Aerial Ace, Skarmory!" Skarmory flew up into the air, did a loop-the-loop, and dived down, slamming into the real Zangoose as the Steel Pokemon picked him out from his fellows as easily as blinking. The fake Zangooses faded from existence as the real one suffered the blow, with Skarmory shrieking his victory shrilly. "Now, Steel Wing!" Skarmory's wings glowed as he rose and fell, looking to strike Zangoose with a same-type move that was sure to deal major damage.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge! Then Slash!" Silver retorted, and Zangoose darted out of Skarmory's path, leaving the Steel Pokemon to scrape the ground before coming at him from behind, slashing his claws all the way up Skarmory's back. The Steel Pokemon squawked in pain and flew out of reach as sparks flew from the contact.

"Skarmory, are you OK?" Winona asked, and Skarmory nodded, although its swagger had been substantially reduced.

"Zangoose, that was really good. I hope you've got a few more in you!" Silver encouraged, and Zangoose smiled.

"Skarmory, Aerial Ace!"

"Zangoose, Quick Attack head-on!" Zangoose and Skarmory clashed for the first time, and both Pokemon were hurled away; Zangoose was overcome by Skarmory's superior weight and hardness, and Skarmory reeled from the sheer power of his foe's strike. "Now, Slash!"

"Steel Wing!" Zangoose's claws crashed against Skarmory's wing as the two hurled all their reserves against each other again; and again, there was no clear winner. "Try a Fury Attack!" Winona ordered quickly, and before Silver could give a counter-command, Zangoose was being pummelled by a volley of pecks as Skarmory flew in for the kill.

"Zangoose, Double Team!" he ordered desperately, and soon Skarmory was merely pecking an image as a dozen other Zangooses entered the field. "Quick Attack!" Before Winona could order an Aerial Ace, Zangoose was slamming into Skarmory as hard as he could, doing his best to ignore his own pain as he collided with such a rock-hard creature. Skarmory was stumbling backwards, shaking his head and trying to regain his bearings, his loud shriek a shadow of its former glory.

"Skarmory, Steel Wing all of them!" Winona said; she had rightly suspected that Silver was expecting an Aerial Ace, and was thus going for the unexpected. Skarmory flew in a wide circle, hitting one Zangoose after the other with his glowing wings.

"Zangoose, stand your ground! Use Slash, as hard as you can!" The real Zangoose, soon the only one left, jumped and received the shrieking Skarmory's charge, raking his foe's chest with his claws and causing a rain of sparks to once again glitter for a split-second. Skarmory's glowing wings flickered, then failed, and the Steel Pokemon slumped down, too tired to go on.

"Skarmory, return. Zangoose has been greatly weakened by your attacks, so do not worry. He shall be easy prey for my final warrior. Altaria, go!" A large creature resembling a bird with cloud-like wings emerged, floating effortlessly above them. The Pokedex, continuing its analysis, revealed that it was a chilling mix of Dragon and Flying types, and that it could launch intensely hot flames from its mouth; no doubt a Dragonbreath attack. Not a foe to be trifled with. What was more, Zangoose was breathing very heavily, having been severely battered by Skarmory despite emerging triumphant.

"Keep it up, Zangoose. Just one more foe to beat, and with your attack powered up high, it shouldn't be too much of a trial," Silver said more confidently than he felt. "Let's start and finish with a Slash!" Zangoose dashed forwards and leapt up towards his foe, and to Silver's shock he thought he had actually caught Winona unawares; however, she was evidently keeping a closer eye on developments than he, and had seen that Skarmory's Sand Attacks were finally having their desired effects. Zangoose's swipe was centimetres off target, and the Cat Ferret flailed in mid-air, wondering what had gone wrong.

"Altaria, Dragonbreath!" Zangoose was pounded back down to the floor by a jet of green fire, and he didn't even try to get up.

"Zangoose, return. You did well to beat Skarmory with a type disadvantage. But it looks like I'm in a jam now... both Combusken and Breloom will be weak against a dual Flying and Dragon type. Who to choose? I think I'll try for a quick knockout with Overheat, then... huh?" Silver's fingers found only his belt as they sought Combusken's Pokeball. "What the...?"

"Kecleon!" came a cry from behind, and, framed in the doorway and posing like a superhero, was Kecleon, tossing Combusken's Pokeball up and down in one hand and grinning.

"Kecleon! That must've been a Thief attack, am I right? Well, come over here, then! Did you learn Hidden Power?"

"He most certainly did! And I've got a feeling you'll like the results," his temporary Trainer poked her head around the door and waved, before scooting off, Silver calling his thanks after her.

"How would you feel about battling, Kecleon? Just to test you out," Silver suggested, and Kecleon nodded fiercely, actually walking up to Silver and clipping Combusken's Pokeball back onto his belt before getting ready for battle.

"This is most irregular, but there is nothing against the rules here, I believe. Altaria, use Dragon Dance!" The air around Altaria seemed to ripple as the bird Pokemon swayed back and forth, humming and powering itself up.

"Kecleon, let's try a Faint Attack," Silver gave his first command to his newest Pokemon, and Kecleon vanished from view, reappearing on Altaria's back. Before the Humming Pokemon could dislodge him, he battered the back of Altaria's head with a quite amazing jump-kick, before taking his leave and somersaulting perfectly back to the ground. "Wow! That was really good. Get ready for more, though, because here comes Altaria,"

"Altaria, Earthquake!" Winona ordered, and Altaria hurtled towards the ground, intent on creating deadly shockwaves. Recovering quickly from the shock of a Flying Pokemon knowing a Ground type move, Silver cried,

"Kecleon, Thief!" Kecleon ran over to Altaria and leapt just as it hit the ground, dodging the shockwaves and landing on its back again. Then, seemingly from nowhere, it pulled a big, juicy berry out from under Altaria's wing, chomping on it in a supremely laid-back way before Altaria knocked him off with a buffet from its wings. "You really are a nutter, aren't you? But I'm glad you're on my side. Get ready for a Psybeam," Silver said admiringly as Altaria trilled with anger, seeing Kecleon dancing annoyingly below.

"Altaria, calm down. We shall see who's laughing soon enough. Aerial Ace!" Altaria did the obligatory loop-the-loop before thundering down towards its foe.

"Just what I expected. Kecleon, slow Altaria up with that Psybeam," Silver said confidently, and Kecleon blasted his falling foe with a multicoloured beam of mental energy. However powerful it was, Altaria powered through it anyway, and slammed into Kecleon in a full-on tackle. Kecleon was thrown away, but quickly regained his footing. His skin was now a sky blue colour, and to the amazement of all he actually rose into the air; he had become the Flying type. "I expected you to change type, but not to fly! Way to go!"

"Kecleon!" Kecleon winked at him and did a loop-the-loop of his own, snickering.

"Let's see your new Hidden Power, then!" Kecleon's mouth opened and he breathed out a powerful gust of wind, battering Altaria with air currents and making it difficult for it to fly.

"Altaria, I know this is unexpected, but he cannot compete with you in terms of aerial skill. Use Dragonbreath!" This was what Silver had been waiting for, but he didn't want to let on his plan, so he ordered,

"Kecleon, dodge!" Kecleon masterfully dove out of Dragonbreath's path, twitching and flying through the air to avoid the stream of green fire.

"Altaria, left! Right! Now, down to the left!" Winona rattled off quickly, and succeeded in pinning Kecleon in place; the Pokemon was nicked by the fire and plummeted through the air, landing roughly as his skin turned to blinding white.

"Are you alright, Kecleon?" Silver asked anxiously; he had forgotten about the fall. But Kecleon jumped up in no time, looking ready once more, his skin shining eerily. "The only types Dragon Pokemon are weak against are Ice and Dragon. Kecleon, am I right in saying that you're now a Dragon type?"

"Kecleon!" Kecleon replied, nodding.

"Then hit Altaria with a Hidden Power!" Kecleon jumped upwards, zeroing in on Altaria, and blasted from his mouth a pure beam of Dragon energy, the power and wrath of a legendary creature focused in one beautiful and amazing attack. The beam smashed headlong into a squealing Altaria, doing super-effective damage to the behemoth and battering it effortlessly out of the sky. Kecleon continued to pour on the power, following Altaria down to the ground before unleashing the final iota of energy, resulting in a contained yet powerful explosion that enveloped his fallen foe.

"Altaria, return," Winona said regretfully, seeing through the smoke that Altaria had fainted. "You did well. Kecleon's prodigious abilities, as well as his Trainer's quick thinking of course, were evidently beyond us, but we shall continue to fly everyday to hone our talents. As for you, Silver, here is the Featherbadge; a symbol of your victory here today,"

"Thanks, Winona! Look, Kecleon; a Featherbadge! We won!" Silver said delightedly, pinning the badge to his shirt.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon replied happily, doing a 'V for victory' sign to an imaginary crowd of fans.

"That battle was tough, but I enjoyed it. Thanks," Silver said, shaking Winona's hand.

"I too had fun. You also taught me that I can always fly higher, no matter how powerful I manage to get. For this I thank you, and I hope you have success in the future," Silver thanked her again for the Featherbadge before leaving, having recalled the victorious Kecleon and rejoining with Scott.

"Great battle. Kecleon's power is amazing, but I think you'll have to use it carefully; a clever foe will use moves to change Kecleon's type, then hit him with super-effective blows. Just like Winona sent him crashing to the ground. Not that I'm trying to take away your victory or anything," Scott assured him after receiving a scathing look.

"I'm still in shock about just how good Kecleon was. I knew Hidden Power would be useful but it surpassed my expectations by about a hundred miles. Where are you headed next?"

"Ah, you know I can't tell you that. Just let it suffice that I'll be waiting outside Mossdeep City's Gym when the time comes," Scott winked, then asked, "So where are _you_ headed now?" Silver chanced a look over the edge of the walkway and baulked, clutching his stomach queasily.

"Two words: the ground,"


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 33**

Now that Silver had completed, and indeed won, his Gym battle with Winona, and gotten back on firm ground as a result, he headed east towards his next destination. Lilycove City was apparently the thriving centre of the Hoenn region; within were the Department Store, the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club, a beautiful beach, a ferry service to Mossdeep City (where he hoped to get his next Gym badge), an art gallery, and last but certainly not least the Contest Hall. As he walked down the route towards Lilycove, he saw tacked onto a sign a poster that proclaimed there was a Pokemon Contest the next day, and he was in two minds of whether or not to compete. There were five categories (Beauty, Smart, Tough, Cute and Cool), and although his first instinct was to enter Seviper in a Cute Contest, his experience and common sense told him that unfortunately he was the only one who thought the serpent was even vaguely cute. He had narrowed it down to Smart, Cool and Beauty, and wondered where Seviper's particular talents lay.

"Seviper, come out! What d'you think about entering a Contest?" he asked as he walked along, releasing Seviper to thrash out the details. Seviper looked up at him questioningly, his head cocked. "Oh, so you don't know what a Contest is? Well, my understanding is that a Contest is a place where Trainers basically show off their Pokemon for others to see..." he began, and Seviper immediately purred loudly, rearing up and taking up a stance that suggested he was all for not only entering, but sweeping the Contest too. "What category d'you think you'd excel at? Beauty, Cool or Smart?" Silver suddenly remembered the look on Seviper's face when he fell victim to Camerupt's Attract, and said hastily, "I mean, Beauty or Cool?" If Seviper had shoulders, he would have shrugged. "You obviously look fantastic with your shiny skin and your alternately-coloured scales, but I think your attacks are pretty cool too. I think that's my mind made up, actually; we'll enter you in a Cool Contest, and your beauty can merely be an extra, to get the crowd on our side. You don't want to be known for just good looks after all, do you?"

"Seviper," Seviper hissed, disgruntled, and Silver didn't pursue the point. Suddenly, he felt rain patter down on his bare skin, and sighed to himself.

"Oh, great. No umbrella, no raincoat... just the chance to get well and truly soaked. Why oh why did I refuse Castform? Seviper, return, I don't want you to get wet. Although it's against my better judgement, Corphish, you can walk with me instead. You should like rain, right?"

"Corphish," Corphish said in a non-committal way, and Silver rolled his eyes. As they progressed, they were drenched in sheets of the sort of light rain that nevertheless soaks you through as completely as jumping in a pond. There were clear puddles everywhere, and the ground underfoot was squashy and moist as if it never stopped raining on this particular route. Corphish, as Silver had hoped, was enjoying the trek, which was more than he could say for himself. He had resorted to using his already ruined 'Pokemon Master's Cookbook' as a small and ineffective umbrella substitute, and soon the book which had been such a help when he had been a novice on-the-road cook back in Johto was a bedraggled mess. What was even worse than the rain was the sight of long grass up ahead. Long, wet, clinging grass which was twice as hard to thrash through than usual. Just before he and Corphish attempted to wade through this jungle, his misery was made all but complete.

"Hey! Silver, from Littleroot Town!" He turned slowly to see Gabby and Ty, who were looking as enthusiastic as ever and who had never been less welcome. What annoyed him further was that Gabby was being kept completely dry by a stylish parasol clutched in the hand not holding her microphone. "Did you see yourself on TV? That was some prime footage. We hoped we could catch up to you here and have one final battle with you to assess your abilities as a Trainer? You've been one of our most popular featured Trainers; a whole load of letters were sent to us to ask how you were doing and where you were, so I'd watch your back from a horde of competitive Trainers from now on!"

"Thanks for that. I really appreciate it," he said sarcastically, but Gabby was too excited to pick up on his tone of voice.

"That's my job! So what d'you say? Will you battle one last time for your devoted fan-base?" Silver rolled his eyes, but was secretly wondering exactly who was in this fan-base and how many of them there were. He could have a pretty good guess that Emerald wasn't a member, but he could see Crystal joining a Silver Fan Club just to get the membership pack.

"OK, fine. I suppose they've grown to expect Combusken and Breloom, so that's what they'll get," he said, releasing his Pokemon for one last double battle against the news reporters.

"Excellent! Loudred, go!"

"Magneton, I choose you!" Ty said, releasing his evolved Pokemon clumsily.

"And here we have four second-stage Pokemon against each other; will this make a difference, or will we get just as easily beaten as last time?" Gabby said. "Loudred, Supersonic!"

"Magneton, Thunderbolt!" Silver knew that if either or both of these attacks hit, he'd be in trouble already.

"Combusken, jump up to avoid Thunderbolt! Breloom, use Mach Punch to avoid Supersonic and hit Loudred!" he ordered quickly, and Combusken hurtled upwards, dodging the powerful Thunderbolt from Magneton, whilst Breloom slipped in and battered Loudred before he could release a single sonic wave. Loudred was temporarily stunned, but Magneton was just getting going.

"Magneton, Thunderbolt again! Keep it up until you hit him!" Ty ordered, and Magneton blasted another lightning bolt at Combusken.

"Combusken, somersault over and use Double Kick! Breloom, Iron Tail!" Gabby and Ty's Pokemon saw stars as a powerful blow hammered them, then fainted completely as they went flying into each other, their heads cracking together before they slid to the floor. "Looks like another easy win. You were both great, well done!" Silver encouraged, but was distracted from his praise by Corphish whacking him with a Knock Off, to draw the attention back to him. Gabby and Ty sighed, looking downcast as they returned their Pokemon.

"Three battles, and we didn't hit you with a single attack apiece. Ty, I hope you got all that on camera!" Gabby said, dejected then brightening up almost straight away.

"As always! Anything to edit in?" he asked, pointing the camera from Silver to Gabby.

"How about one last interview? For the people at home?" Gabby implored, and Silver reluctantly relented. "Great! So what were your impressions about this battle, and our battles overall?"

"I thought this battle was a good test of Combusken and Breloom's skills, 'cause it showed how quickly they can knock someone out. Overall, I appreciate you letting me beat up your Pokemon and get some experience for my team. Thanks! And any beginner Trainers watching at home, I advise you to go to Johto or Kanto instead, where these two crazy people aren't lurking around every corner," Silver said, jabbing his thumb at Gabby and Ty before pushing his way into the long grass, out of sight. Behind him, he heard,

"Ty, I hope you got all of that! I can picture the caption now... 'strong words from a strong Trainer'! Or perhaps 'damning indictment of innocent press reporters'. Either way, thanks for the footage, Silver!" Gabby called after him.

"You're welcome," Silver called back through gritted teeth. "Some people just don't get the message, do they, Corphish? Heck, why am I wasting words on you, you're the prime example..." They slogged their way through the thick grass in silence, getting wetter and wetter and more and more tired until Silver was debating ordering Combusken to use Overheat on him, either to dry him off or end it all. Fortunately, however, he found some cause for celebration when he spotted a small cave by the roadside, seemingly scorched by the heat of a sun long since departed. He practically sprinted inside and collapsed on the floor, panting and shivering away his wetness. Luckily, the cave was completely dry inside, and he sat sprawled-out in only his swimming trunks as Combusken dried off his clothes, watching the rain fall outside with satisfaction. All of the Pokemon were out, to enjoy a quick picnic, although Corphish was frolicking outside in the rain happily. Zangoose and Seviper were not exactly civil now, but they were used to each other's presence, and they didn't sit having glaring matches like they used to, keeping themselves to themselves. Breloom and Kecleon were playing together, their mutual enthusiasm so infectious that soon Silver was feeling a hundred times better. Getting kitted out again, he prepared for the next step of his journey; the Pokenav informed him that Lilycove City was not too far away now, and he hoped to see some sights before bedding down and getting ready for the Contest tomorrow. What made him do a double-take was seeing the Hoenn Safari Zone on the map, and he was immediately swamped in doom and gloom again.

"Combusken?" Combusken asked, seeing his pained expression, but he didn't immediately answer due to a violent internal battle between two fierce instincts. On one side was his hatred of everything to do with the Safari Zone, as he remembered the experience from his travels through Kanto, and on the other side was a fear of a premature death should Crystal find out he had skipped such a landmark. Either way meant he couldn't win, and he couldn't see a compromise other than lying and saying he did go, which he wasn't exactly thrilled about.

"I know!" he suddenly burst out, making Combusken jump. "I'll use the time-honoured method of the coin toss! Where's that Amulet Coin..." Silver fumbled around in his pockets for the good luck charm his mother had sent him, and he eventually brandished it triumphantly. "OK, heads we go to the Safari Zone, tails we don't," He flipped the coin up high and closed his eyes, unwilling to see the result as he knew he was finished both ways. However, he was made to look as Kecleon appeared on his head, leaning down in front of his eyes and holding the Amulet Coin right in his face. "Aargh! Thanks, Kecleon. Let's see... Well, it was nice knowing you all," he said dejectedly, seeing the side he had labelled as tails. "Send what's left of me back home in a Pokeball. I'm sure my parents will want to put it on the mantelpiece in remembrance," Getting ready for another soaking, he stepped back out into the rain, recalling everyone apart from Corphish as he progressed towards Lilycove City. He passed the Safari Zone and felt slightly happier that he wouldn't be forced to pay extortionate amounts for five minutes of time, but as he walked away from it an idea hit him like a lightbulb flashing above his head. Surely if he bought Crystal some Safari Zone memorabilia, he's escape alive, or at least whole? It was decided. Turning around, he tramped up the watery pathway to the Safari Zone, and burst inside the lobby, breathing heavily and shaking water from his hair.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked the attendant in a politely puzzled voice.

"Yeah, can I buy some Safari Zone stuff anywhere? My friend loves all that souvenir junk," Silver replied conversationally, spitting out some rain.

"Just over here on the counter. But I must tell you that due to heavy rainfall we can't allow anyone to enter the Safari Zone, for safety reasons," the attendant replied, and Silver perked up, suddenly feeling full of life.

"Yes! I mean, I'm sorry, it must be pretty boring here on your own," he said apologetically, handing over some money for a Safari Zone hat and a Heracross keyring.

"You couldn't be more right. This weather is very odd, as we were predicted only light, temporary showers. This rain has been going on for a few days now, without letting up,"

"Weird. Well, thanks anyway. I think I'll take a Safari Zone umbrella, too," Silver said, and accepted the item after handing over some more money. "See you. I hope the weather improves, for everyone's sake,"

"Me too," the attendant replied mournfully, then as Silver left she went back to her crossword puzzle. Silver unfurled the umbrella, only noticing now that it was coloured like a Teddiursa, and set off again towards Lilycove, full of new heart. Now he had a proper excuse not to have been to the Safari Zone, and on top of that Crystal would be getting some unexpected gifts. Even better, he was going to make it to Lilycove City without getting even wetter.

"It looks like things are finally looking up, eh, Corphish?" he said, then cursed himself. That was the only certain way of making bad things happen, as well as 'What else could possibly go wrong?', and he was proved right instantly as he was almost concussed by another Knock Off. As he returned the Ruffian Pokemon, rubbing his head painfully, he continued on towards Lilycove, trying to figure out what exactly he had done to make Fate hate him.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 34**

When at last he reached Lilycove City, Silver was looking forward to staying somewhere where he could relax and see some sights, and not have to battle for a change. He had already set it out in his head; first he'd go to the Department Store to stock up and have a proper lunch in the rooftop restaurant, then he'd go to the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club to try and find out who was hot in the Pokemon stakes, then he'd register for tomorrow's Contest and actually find out how these events went. After that, he'd have a stroll across the beach, culminating in some training, just to make sure everyone stayed fit and healthy.

"Next stop, the Department Store!" he said confidently, shaking his umbrella to clear off the water droplets, and he released his Pokemon to walk alongside him through the streets. Luckily, the raincloud that hovered over the route to the west wasn't looming over Lilycove, so the city felt warm and dry in comparison. Lilycove itself seemed a pleasant enough place, although as expected life did seem to be in the fast lane, with everybody going at a hundred miles an hour to get everything done; shopping, cleaning, job, school, training... It made Silver feel grateful for his peaceful childhood in New Bark Town, and that he was allowed to travel around as a Trainer rather than get a nine-to-five job like an ordinary Joe. They walked slowly, revelling in the frantic lifestyle of everyone who buzzed around them, but it wasn't long before the Department Store came into view. "Here we are! There's a fountain in front of it, too, just like in Celadon City. Corphish, how would you like a swim? I know we've just been drenched in rain, but a Water Pokemon can never get enough water,"

"Corphish," Corphish said, shaking his head to contradict him just for the sake of it. Silver slapped his forehead and was dangerously close to withdrawing Corphish, but managed to restrain himself.

"Breloom, how do you like it here?"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried, wagging his tail, and Silver was grateful for his usual enthusiasm.

"What about you, Zangoose? We won't be fighting here, so your claws can have a bit of a rest," Zangoose smiled at him as he walked along, as calm as ever. "Seviper, we'll have to look for some special Contest stuff to get you ready for your unveiling. Not that you need it, of course," he continued hastily, seeing Seviper almost fix him with an angry Glare attack. "Combusken, we're going to have some lunch here, OK? Hopefully they'll have a good selection of type-specific foods," Combusken nodded soberly. "Shedinja, I'm feeling some good vibrations from you, so you obviously like it here. Kecleon, I... huh? Where's Kecleon?" Silver asked, looking around for the chameleon Pokemon anxiously, but the rest of the Pokemon didn't seem any more clued up than him. A second later, Kecleon materialised on his head, chewing on a fat blue berry and reclining lazily. "Kecleon, get off of there. And where did you get... ah, forget it. I don't want to know," Silver said resignedly, and he pushed open the door to the Department Store as Kecleon dropped back to the floor. According to the floor plan, the food court was, as expected, on the roof, along with a clear-out sale. He thought he may as well check out the latter to see if he could find anything of interest, but first came the stock-up mission. After replacing his own food stores and other necessary equipment, he was once again confronted with the joy of selecting his Pokemon's food in a more refined fashion than the average brown nutrition blocks. "Let's see what we've got here!" he said excitedly, brandishing his scoop and paper bags eagerly. In the end, he bought some Petaya Berries for Seviper, who loved the spicy, bitter taste; some charcoal-based snacks for Combusken; some sweet treats for Kecleon, to try and keep his mind off petty theft; some normal, boring food for an unbothered Zangoose, as he couldn't find anything else; special spore-filled pockets for Breloom; and finally some extremely chilled food usually reserved for Ice Pokemon, but in this case bought for Corphish after the creature foolishly sampled some Tamato berries and nearly breathed fire.

"Thank you, sir. Have a nice day," said the attendant brightly, although Silver thought this a remote possibility with incredibly light pockets and a swollen-up Corphish. Nevertheless, he still rose up in the elevator to sample the rooftop's attractions, preparing himself for the further punishment that would likely be inflicted on him from all sides. Seeing the clear-out sale close by as the elevator's doors slid open, he thought they may as well get an appetite up through some bargain hunting, and made his way over there as his faithful Pokemon followed behind. What he saw didn't impress him.

"An old tyre? Mud balls?! I knew clear-out sales usually sold junk, but this is going too far. Kecleon, stop!" Silver cried, but he was too late to stop Kecleon picking up a mud-ball and throwing it at Corphish. The angry Ruffian Pokemon responded with a Bubblebeam, which Kecleon deftly dodged with a Faint Attack, reappearing on Corphish's head with a snicker. As the two continued to try and wreck the place, Silver was forced to hand over some money to actually pay for the mud ball, and actually threw himself between Corphish's Bubblebeam and a huge Wailmer doll with an equally huge price tag. "Cut it out, you guys! Corphish, Kecleon, return!" Silver said, withdrawing the two as they fought their way towards the buffet table. "What am I going to do with those two?" he said to himself, shaking his head.

"Combusken," Combusken said, placing his hand comfortingly on his master's arm. Silver smiled.

"You're no Togetic, but you'll do. Come on, let's get some lunch. We need to get a seat with a good view, too... can I entrust that to you, Breloom? I'll pick up some food for you," Breloom nodded and walked off, looking around for a likely spot to sit down, whilst the rest of them approached the buffet table, filled up their plates and paid the cashier. "Luckily this food isn't as expensive as the Pokemon food. Although that's probably a signal as to its quality," Silver said, looking down at his plate, and he saw that all of his Pokemon were looking at him blankly. "Don't listen to me," he admitted with a sigh, and the Pokemon continued on their way, looking happier. He followed them to a table by the edge, well-chosen by Breloom with a great view of the whole city, but it had seven chairs. "You want me to release everyone?" he groaned, and Breloom nodded happily. "If we end up paying for the store to be rebuilt, I'll tell them to forward the payments to you, then. Corphish, Kecleon, come out," he said with apprehension. The two opponents squared off again, but whilst Corphish was angry and irritable, Kecleon was grinning, as if it was all a game.

"Corphish! Corphish!" Corphish cried, waving his pincers angrily.

"Kecleon," Kecleon replied, taking up a relaxed pose as if Corphish wasn't worth bothering with. Then he disappeared, but by the patter of footstep he was just invisible rather than using Faint Attack. He jumped on Corphish's back, became visible, and pulled a large, juicy berry out from behind Corphish's ear, like a magician. "Kecleon," Kecleon continued, holding out the berry as a peace offering, and Corphish's expression changed from angry to delighted as he grabbed it in his claw and stuffed it between his swollen lips. Seconds later, he was normal again, the berry having countered the effects of the Tamato Berry.

"Kecleon, that was a very nice thing to do. Corphish, now..." Silver stopped and sighed, hunching over as Corphish raised up Kecleon like a hero. "Weeks of training and friendship, and what do I get? A Knock Off every once in a while. One berry, and Kecleon's his best friend," What gave him even more consternation was that all the other Pokemon were crowding around to praise the Colour Swap Pokemon. Even Shedinja deserted his eternal post to 'say' a few words to the hero. Silver did his best to ignore them, and chewed on his food in annoyance, looking out over the city. The next place he had to go was the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club, then the Contest Hall to register and find some information about Contests. When he had memorised the route laid out by the Pokenav, and everyone had finished off their food, he recalled everyone and made his way back down the building, silently thanking whoever invented the elevator. The Pokenav said that the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club wasn't too far away, so he strolled along at a leisurely pace and remembered his last visit to such a place, in Saffron City. It had bulldozed his self-esteem in the first few seconds, as Crystal, the girl of the moment after winning the dojo symbol, was swamped with fans, whilst he was left with nothing. Would today be any different? Would Crystal's legendary victory have spread across the sea, and have its own little following? He answered this question by walking into the Fan Club as quickly as he could, before he could convince himself not to go, and luckily he could see no pictures of his best friend on the walls, or people wearing an 'I Love Crystal' T-shirt. What he did see was silence for a few seconds, before three people hurried over to him, the rest of the group going back to their conversations.

"It's Silver, isn't it? From Littleroot Town? I'm a huge fan of yours! I've followed all of your battles on Bravo Trainer Time!" a boy said, patting him on the back excitedly.

"Er... really? Well, thanks, I guess," Silver replied, feeling a little bewildered.

"I can't believe it's really him! You're the one we're all rooting for, Silver! You can beat the Pokemon League!" a girl cheered.

"You're my idol! Can I shake your hand, please?" a small boy said, and Silver obliged, still feeling overwhelmed.

"Thanks for all of your support. If it wasn't for people like you, I could never have come so far," Silver said, and he inwardly sighed with relief as they went into rapturous excitement, knowing he had said the right thing.

"How about a glimpse of the team? Breloom and Combusken, the unbeatable duo?"

"Sure, why not. Combusken, Breloom, come on out!" Silver released the two Pokemon, who looked just as stunned as Silver as attention was lavished upon them.

"And what about that crazy Corphish I saw standing next to you on TV?" the small boy asked, and Silver blanched.

"Er... Corphish? Well, I don't see why not. He loves attention, and there aren't any Pokemon here to attack. Actually, why don't I release everybody?" he said on a whim, and soon all six were out of their Pokeballs. Corphish beamed and waved his pincers as the small boy bent down to examine him, complimenting his shell, whilst the girl ran her fingers through Zangoose's soft fur admiringly. "I'm using Seviper in a Contest tomorrow," Silver said, indicating the serpent, and was awarded with more squeals of delight.

"Can we come? Would you mind?" the boy asked excitedly.

"Of course not. But this is my first Contest, so expect me to screw up," Silver explained, but the assurances that he wouldn't screw up were drowned out by a cacophony of excited screams from the other side of the room.

"Crowd around the TV, everyone! Emerald's on!" someone cried, and even Silver's supporters deserted him as they thronged to watch the TV. Silver himself walked over, and saw on the screen a news reporter (an official-looking one, not like Gabby and Ty) interviewing none other than Emerald, who was standing next to Tropius and stroking his neck lovingly.

"So how do you feel after winning your seventh Hoenn Gym badge?" the interviewer asked.

"I feel great, but I also know the biggest test is yet to come. The Pokemon League will be on a whole other level," Emerald replied confidently.

"Do you think you're up to it, or will more training be necessary?"

"Of course more training will be needed, but only to make absolutely certain I can beat them. At this point in time, I'd say I could beat two or three out of the Elite Four. But I have complete faith in my team," Tropius took this chance to bend his head down and rub it against her face lovingly.

"Your Pokemon obviously have a close bond with you. Anything you'd like to say to the people at home?"

"Yes. Novice Trainers, never give up. You may lose a hundred battles, but with each battle your Pokemon will gain experience, and eventually you'll pull through. Just like with everything in life, you have to try hard and do your best to have a chance at the big time. I'd like to dedicate my seventh Gym battle to my favourite beginner, by the name of Silver, from Littleroot Town. Keep going, Silver. Everyone's behind you no matter how much you lose, or how badly,"

"Such kind words from an obviously excellent Trainer. Well, it looks like Tropius is ready to go; may I ask where you're headed next?"

"I'm on my way to Lilycove City, to take part in a Contest. I hope that anyone who enjoys watching me battle will do their best to attend, because without supporters, I couldn't have gotten this far,"

"Hey! That's my line!" Silver snarled angrily, but was shushed by another watcher. He took his chance to leave as the crowd buzzed about Emerald's power and great screen presence, still annoyed about her stealing his lines and referring to him as a beginner. "Stupid Emerald... 'Everyone's behind you no matter how much you lose, or how badly'... I'll show her badly..." he muttered to himself as he stomped towards the Contest Hall, having recalled all of his Pokemon and being completely immune to the amused vibrations Shedinja was giving out. The Contest Hall itself was huge and red, with a blue roof, which made it stand out from the many buildings crowded around it. There were posters advertising tomorrow's Contest everywhere, and Coordinators were training their Pokemon or feeding them small cubes of different-coloured food from special dispensers. Walking into the lobby, and trying not to appear out of place, he picked up a leaflet and sat down on a comfy leather chair to read it. Apparently, there were two rounds. In the first round, the Pokemon were merely put on display, and the audience voted for their favourites. In the second round, they had several minutes of 'appeal time', where they had to impress a judge with elegantly and intelligently-used attack moves. When the points from both rounds were combined, the Pokemon with the most was the winner, and received a ribbon. To qualify for the Grand Festival, you had to get at least one ribbon from each of the five categories, but Silver thought he was a long way off from that just yet. When he had read all the information he needed, he walked over to the desk, and said, "Hi, can I register for tomorrow's Contest, please?"

"Do you have a Contest Pass?" the attendant replied.

"Er... no. I didn't know one was necessary,"

"Don't worry, first-time Coordinators receive their Contest Pass from us anyway. It was just to assess what Contests you've participated in before and what ribbons you've won. Here..." She slapped a small green card on the table. "Can you fill in your name and home town, please? Thank you. That's your Contest Pass complete! Now, what category are you entering tomorrow?"

"Cool, if that's OK,"

"It certainly is. And with what Pokemon?"

"Seviper. Come out, buddy," Silver said, releasing Seviper so the attendant could get a good look at him.

"Wow! I think we can expect a heated Contest tomorrow, then. Let me just fill this in..." she scribbled something on the back of his Pass, detailing the Contest he was entering, then gave it back to him."I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good luck!"

"Thanks, you've been a really big help," Silver replied, and as he and Seviper walked off, he gave the serpent a Petaya Berry in thanks for impressing the attendant. "If what she said is true, then I'm really proud of you, Seviper. I think we might have a chance to win,"

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed happily, swallowing the berry.

"Well well well. What have we here?" came a familiar voice, and he looked up to see Emerald herself standing there, a mocking expression on her face.

"How did you get here so quickly? I thought you were in Mossdeep,"

"Saw my interview, did you? That was recorded a few hours ago, dummy. Tropius can fly me anywhere in Hoenn with ease. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Entering a Contest, of course. I know that you are too,"

"Yep. What category?"

"Cool. You?"

"Cool as well. Looks like we'll be head-to-head again. Are you using Seviper?"

"I sure am. Even you have to admit he looks great,"

"He does, but not as great as mine. And before you ask, I'm not telling you; it'll be a nice surprise tomorrow. So I see you managed to beat Winona; I found her pretty easy myself. Got a full team yet?"

"Kecleon filled the last slot,"

"Kecleon? The colour-change one? I'd have used him in the Contest, personally. Colour swapping is seriously cool, and the judges and audience love it,"

"Too late now. I have every confidence in Seviper to succeed, anyway. How about you? A full team?"

"Now that would be telling. You'll see when we next battle. If you ever make it to the Champion, that is. Well, I've come to register, so I'll have to leave you for now to dwell on your impending loss," she half-waved at him and strode towards the desk, brimming with confidence as ever.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," Silver replied sarcastically, and left the Contest Hall with Seviper and Shedinja. He thought hard as they walked in no particular direction, thinking about what would happen tomorrow. It sounded like Contests were all about confidence and showing off, something which Emerald did a lot better than him. Then again, he had Seviper on his side, who was a master of that himself. It was a shock to find himself up against Emerald again, and definitely not a welcome one; it seemed that his plan of a relaxing stay in Lilycove was completely and utterly wrecked.


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: the Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 35**

"Seviper, I've made you a special breakfast; crushed Petaya Berries. Just to keep you looking happy and healthy in the Contest, OK? Eat up," Silver said nervously, pushing the bowl of mush towards Seviper. This morning was his first ever Pokemon Contest, and just to add to the nerves was the fact that he would be up against Emerald. So not only did he risk making a fool of himself in front of strangers, he risked a 'never live it down' moment which Emerald wouldn't let him forget no matter how hard he tried. The only thing keeping him from calling the whole thing off was knowing that some of his fans would be there, and that the attendant had been impressed with Seviper. They had spent the rest of yesterday training on the beach, where Seviper showed off his catwalk talents and proved to be a natural, and slept of course in the Pokemon Centre. He only had about half an hour left until the Contest began, so he ate breakfast quickly and hurried along his Pokemon; Corphish, usually the impatient one, was taking his time today, almost to the point where Silver left without him. They stood outside the Contest Hall nervously, Seviper the only Pokemon out of his Pokeball, and they looked at each other uncertainly. "Ready for this? If you don't want to do it, you don't have to,"

"Seviper!" Seviper reared up and hissed confidently, showing he was not only ready but looking forward to it.

"Great! I'm lucky you've got a Sassy nature," Silver said, patting Seviper on the head and entering the building. It was bustling with Coordinators and their Pokemon, all milling around and looking for where they should be. Some were training, some were eating, and some were nearly dozing off until their Pokemon slapped them awake again. He and Seviper made their way over to the desk, and, after a long queue, asked where the Cool Contest was being held.

"Just this way. My partner here will show you," the attendant smiled, and another desk worker led him through a door and down a corridor, then selected another door from one of many laid out in front of them.

"Here's the waiting room. When your name's called, just walk out that door and you'll be on the stage. At first, everyone will be on stage at once, so Pokemon can be compared, but when you do your appeals, you'll be on your own," the guy explained, before wishing him good luck and leaving. There were several other Trainers waiting there, but none of them had their Pokemon out, so Silver recalled Seviper and sat in a corner to brood. He was quickly joined by Emerald, who sat next to him and was grinning excitedly.

"Are you sure you're up to this? You look nervous," she teased.

"I know Seviper's up to it, so I'll just do my best. The judges will be looking at him, after all, not me," Silver replied.

"Yes, but sometimes a Pokemon can be wrong-footed and become nervous when their Trainer isn't confident. And a nervous Pokemon doesn't perform too well," Emerald displayed her usual tact.

"Seviper won't be nervous, he knows I'll do my best. Nervous isn't in his vocabulary. Anyway, are you going to let me see my victim?" he asked, hoping to get a glimpse of what Pokemon she was going to use.

"You'll see soon enough when he's getting way more cheers than that Seviper of yours," Emerald replied, and there was silence between them as Silver tried to think up a comeback. Suddenly, a voice emanated from the loudspeaker in the corner;

"Would all competitors please gather on the stage for the first round," Silver and Emerald jumped to their feet together, and followed the other three Trainers through the door that led to the stage, giving each other a half-mocking, half-encouraging smile as they pushed past each other to be the first out. Silver was severely underwhelmed by it all; the stage was a blank, polished wooden square, almost like a battle-field, and there were only a few people in the crowd; most of them were from the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club here to see either him or Emerald perform. The judge was seated at a desk near the side of the stage, so he had a good view of everything but was out of harm's way, and the host was vainly trying to rally the crowd into a screaming frenzy.

"It's time for another Contest, everybody! Who will walk away with a coveted Cool ribbon? There can only be one winner, and competition is sure to be fierce! But will that winner be Richard's Raticate?" she swept her arm around and gestured towards the first boy in the row.

"Raticate, come on out!" he cried, and a Raticate somersaulted from his Pokeball, landing perfectly in a fighting position with his gleaming teeth on show. There was a polite round of applause from the crowd and he looked faintly disappointed.

"Or will it be Nicholas' Duskull?" The next boy released a floating Ghost Pokemon, who gazed around solemnly at everyone and gave them the shivers, but who nevertheless mustered some support. "Perhaps Emma's Totodile?" A Totodile emerged from a girl's Pokeball, hopping up and down on the spot before snapping its jaws and taking up a stance that reminded Silver of a superhero. Totodile received a rather louder response from the crowd, as well as some whistles and shouts, and Emma looked delighted. "Will the ribbon fall to Emerald's Sceptile?"

"Sceptile, let's go!" Emerald cried, and released the evolved form of Grovyle, who stood there, crouched down and looking superior, fearsome and, crucially, cool. The whole room was struck dumb for a second as they took in the powerful creature, but then the audience clapped and cheered for the Grass Pokemon as they had done before. To Silver's perverse amusement it didn't seem as much as Emerald wanted, as she too looked quite disappointed.

"And last but not least comes Silver's Seviper!"

"Seviper, show them what you've got!" Silver cried, and hurled the Pokeball up, releasing Seviper. The creature scrunched itself up like an accordion and hissed in pleasure as the audience gazed upon him, shifting himself just so that the light sparkled off his rare acid-green scales. Again, there was silence. But then, to his complete and utter surprise, the audience absolutely raised the roof with a cacophony of cheers, screams, whistles and shouts of encouragement, the best reception by far out of the five Coordinators.

"Now, whilst our audience vote for their favourites on their special voting pads, will our Coordinators please return to the waiting room to await the much-anticipated appeal time!" the host said, eternally excitable, and the five Trainers sloped slowly back to the back room, recalling their Pokemon. Silver and Emerald sat in their corner again, and this time it was Silver who looked supremely confident.

"Sceptile got an average reception, don't you think? Not great. Not what I'd expect, but there you go. It looks like the audience has discerning taste," he said, happy to be ripping Emerald to shreds rather than the other way around.

"That was just half the battle. Me and Sceptile have been working on our appeals, and we'll sweep that round easily. We'll get so many points it won't matter about your _temporary_ victory this time around," Emerald replied, crossing her arms over her chest and avoiding his gaze, irritated by his smugness. After a couple more minutes, in which Silver complimented Seviper's great first impression loudly enough to annoy Emerald, the voice came over the loudspeaker again.

"Would Coordinator Richard please enter the stage for round two," Everyone mumbled their good wishes as a nervous-looking Richard and his Raticate exited, hoping to dazzle the judge with their moves. When he finally returned, he was looking happier, so it must have been a success, which made everyone else uneasy. One after the other the Coordinators took their leave to have the chance at a ribbon, and eventually Emerald herself came back through the door, smiling widely as she walked over to Silver.

"You can kiss that ribbon goodbye, buddy. Me and Sceptile have it all wrapped up," she said, sitting down and grinning at him triumphantly. He was about to make a retort when the loudspeaker said,

"Would Coordinator Silver please enter the stage for round two," His mouth went dry and the insult he was prepared to throw didn't even emerge as a squeak. He shut his mouth, half-waved at his rival and made his way up to the stage again. It was disconcerting to have everyone's eyes on him and him alone, so he quickly released Seviper to distract their attentions.

"Seviper, let's go!" he cried, and Seviper appeared again, shimmering with luminescence. The crowd gave 'oohs' and 'ahs' as they gazed upon Seviper, and the judge scribbled something on his clipboard. "Start off with a Glare!" Seviper gazed around at everyone, meeting each audience member's eyes in turn and giving off an aura of icy power as he made their cheers and cries die down into nothing. "Now, show them some of that swagger!" Silver had taught the basics of the Swagger attack to Seviper, enough for him to work with today but not enough to learn the attack and make him forget a more useful move. Seviper slithered across the stage, tossing his head and waving his tail like a high-maintenance supermodel, smiling happily all the time. The temperature in the room seemed to rise several degrees as everyone came back to themselves, laughing at Seviper's antics. When he made it across the stage back to Silver, having shown off to everyone, Silver ordered, "Use Crunch, then Wrap!" He knew that Seviper was at a high enough level to learn Crunch, and it was a glorified Bite attack anyway, so he had every confidence in him pulling it off. Luckily, Seviper did what they had planned, and leapt over to the commentator, snatching away her microphone in his delicate jaws before entwining her in his coils. Not squeezing nearly enough to hurt her, but looking for all the world like she was his helpless prey, he made both the crowd and the commentator laugh again. "Finish up with Poison Tail!" Seviper unwound himself, then leapt upwards into the air, somersaulting back down and slamming his glowing purple tail down onto the direct centre of the stage. When the dust cleared, he was curled up like an accordion again, beaming as the audience cheered wildly.

"What an inventive appeal!" the commentator said, seeming a bit out of it after her close encounter with Seviper but still excited. "Can we have a word from our esteemed judge, Mr. Contesta, just to get a feel about how well Silver and Seviper did?" The judge looked reluctant to confide anything, but it seemed the norm for him to give some sort of comment after each appeal, so he said,

"Seviper is in excellent condition and Silver made good use of his serpentine image in his appeal and the attacks he used,"

"Thank you, Mr. Contesta! Well, Silver, please wait in the back room whilst we tot up today's results!" Silver thanked her and the judge before taking his leave, his heart fluttering and his breathing heavy. He was done, he did well, and now all he had to do was wait.

"Seviper, you were awesome. You did exactly what I wanted, and even more. Well done," he said shakily, recalling Seviper gratefully.

"So how did it go?" Emerald said, smiling devilishly as he sat down next to her.

"It went pretty well. Better than I expected, actually. I think we've got a tidy victory here today," Silver replied.

"We'll see about that," Emerald said, then fell silent, pondering how she had done in the Contest. Eventually, when Silver thought he could take no more damage to his precious nerves, the loudspeaker talked again.

"Will all Coordinators please take to the stage for the results of today's Contest," Everyone got to their feet at once, but they all seemed hesitant about being the first to leave the waiting room, fearing the results.

"Oh, please. Have some guts," Emerald snorted, and pushed her way to the front, striding up the steps. Everyone else followed meekly, wishing each other good luck as Silver quietly apologised for her behaviour. When they were all arrayed in the proper order again, with Silver at one end next to Emerald and Richard at the other, the commentator announced,

"The results have come in for our Contest today, and I must say there's a big irregularity. But first, the placements. In fifth place came Nicholas and Duskull," Everybody clapped the two of them as they walked off the stage, looking disappointed. "In fourth place was Richard and Raticate," Richard and his Pokemon followed Nicholas dejectedly, leaving three Trainers left on the stage. "In third place... Emma and Totodile!" Emma looked as if she was going to burst into tears, but she managed to hold it in for now at least as she trooped off the stage, looking downcast. "Now what we've all been waiting for. In first place for this Cool Contest is..." The tension was palpable and Silver closed his eyes, trying to keep his nerves under control for the mind-shattering verdict. He could hear Emerald twitching and scuffing her feet beside him as the commentator strung out the silence. "Both of you!" she finally announced, and Silver's eyes snapped open as he met Emerald's equally shocked gaze.

"What? There must be some mistake. We can't be level," Emerald said impatiently.

"I'm afraid that's the case. Silver got a huge number of points in the first round, whereas you achieved a far greater number of appeal points in the second round. When tallied up, your scores were exactly equal. But don't worry, we have a ribbon for both of you!" the host said, beaming and brandishing two ribbon cases.

"I don't want to share my win, even with Silver! Especially with Silver, in fact! I've got an idea to break the tie. Me and him are both Pokemon Trainers. Why don't we battle, and whoever wins gets the ribbon? Seviper versus Sceptile?" Emerald proposed.

"This isn't a battle-field, it's a stage for showcasing well cared-for Pokemon!" the judge said, outraged.

"What about the crowd? What do you think?" Emerald addressed the fans, who cheered her proposal wildly. She looked challengingly at the judge as their applause died down.

"Fine, you may battle. But I don't see the point when both of you have the chance to get a ribbon," he sighed, and waved them on.

"Yes! Ready to lose, Silver?" she sneered, taking up a position opposite him. It made him uneasy that she was confident to challenge him with a type disadvantage, but a battle was a battle.

"Seviper, let's go! This is for the right to wear that ribbon you so deserve,"

"Sceptile, come out! Show Silver that we're a way better team, OK?"

"Sceptile!" Sceptile hissed, taking up a battle stance.

"Start off with a Leaf Blade!" Sceptile charged forwards, the leaves on his forearms blending into a single glowing blade to slash Seviper with.

"Seviper, Glare!" Silver retorted, and Seviper rose up, staring into Sceptile's eyes and pinning him in place. His mouth hung open and his leaves returned to normal as he became entranced and Paralysed by the powerful stare of Seviper. "Now, Crunch!" Seviper darted forwards and bit Sceptile's arm in his strong jaws, trying to force him into surrender.

"Sceptile, no! I'll admit that was a mistake. But we can overcome any hurdles in our way if we work together. Use Slam!" Sceptile swung his hefty tail around and battered Seviper mercilessly, dislodging him and sending him flying. "Now use Giga Drain!" Seviper hissed as bolts of green energy sapped away his health, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Seviper, Wrap!" Seviper leapt forwards again like a spring, surviving the Giga Drain as best he could before entwining himself around Sceptile, trying to crush him into submission.

"Sceptile, Slam!" Emerald countered, and Sceptile slammed himself forwards onto the ground, flattening Seviper beneath him and shaking off his limp coils. "Leaf Blade!"

"Seviper, dodge! Then Crunch!" Seviper twitched away from the Leaf Blade, which hammered the floor, and charged forwards, his mouth wide open.

"Sceptile, jump up! Then use Slam!" Sceptile leapt upwards, then sped back down, whacking Seviper hard with his tail as the serpent missed with his lunge. "Finish off with Giga Drain!" Sceptile actually grabbed Seviper, holding the limp creature tightly as he sucked his health away with seething energies.

"Seviper, use Crunch, quickly!" Seviper came back to himself and darted forwards, biting Sceptile's snout and forcing the Grass Pokemon to drop him. As Sceptile recoiled, Seviper rearranged himself and prepared for more orders. "Wrap his legs so he can't jump!" Seviper lashed his body around Sceptile's left leg, but the Grass Pokemon managed to avoid both legs getting tangled up as he stumbled backwards.

"Good, Sceptile! Get him off there with Leaf Blade!" Seviper was thrown backwards in a tangled heap as the Leaf Blade hit home, and Sceptile shook his head quickly, mustering his thoughts and focusing on the battle as his limbs started to seize up from Paralysis. "Leaf Blade again, whilst he's helpless!"

"Pull yourself together, Seviper! Use Poison Tail!" Seviper's glowing tail and Sceptile's blades clashed repeatedly as the Pokemon fought, Sceptile dodging around agilely despite his size and Seviper swinging his tail so quickly it was a neon blur. The battle went back and forth, with each Pokemon giving and receiving minor nicks and scrapes, but the turning point came when Sceptile's blades suddenly flickered and died, becoming normal leaves again as his body froze in place. He barely had time to worry about his Paralysis before Seviper's Poison Tail whacked him right between the eyes. For a moment, the scene was frozen, with the Poison Tail pushing against Sceptile's head and Sceptile standing as still as a statue. And, like a statue, Sceptile keeled over backwards, not changing his position at all as he clattered to the floor in defeat.

"Sceptile, no! Return. I should have guessed he'd cheat and use Paralysis," Emerald said in a hurt voice, glaring at Silver as she recalled Sceptile.

"Seviper, you were fantastic again. Now are you satisfied that I'm not a useless Trainer?" he said impatiently to his rival.

"I never said you were useless, merely sub-standard. I only lost today because I got too carried away. Mark my words, when we next battle, six-on-six in the League, I'll keep a cool head," Emerald replied, then shook his hand awkwardly and walked off, muttering to her Pokeball and looking severely annoyed and disappointed. The crowd broke into cheers again and Silver only just remembered where they were as the host pressed a small orange ribbon into his hand, as well as a case.

"Here, Silver. By your own self-imposed rules, you've emerged as the winner. Well done, and I hope to see you again in another Contest! Let's have a big hand for Silver and Seviper, everyone!" She raised his hand up and everyone cheered again, and Seviper hissed happily at all the attention.

"Thanks for the ribbon. Look at this, Seviper; you won it fair and square!" he said, holding the ribbon out for Seviper to look at.

"Excuse me, sir... I'm an artist in this fair city, and I was wondering whether you'd let Seviper pose for a portrait? He just gives me so much inspiration. It'll go up in the art gallery too, should you want it to," a man dressed in a white coat and beret asked, calling from the crowd and raising up a paintbrush eagerly. Silver slapped his forehead, wondering what on earth was going on. Seviper, in an art gallery? He had been woefully wrong when he believed his journey could get no weirder.


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 36**

Silver was running breathlessly through the streets of Lilycove City, Shedinja floating urgently behind and giving off dire vibrations which accentuated Silver's worried thoughts. Whilst sitting in the artist's studio, patiently waiting for Seviper's portrait to be completed, Silver had switched on the radio to hear that Team Aqua were congregating around Mt. Pyre, which was to the west of Lilycove, and the announcer was warning everyone to stay away from such dangerous people. Silver, of course, knew that he had to at least try and stop the Team getting what they wanted, and was now charging towards Mt. Pyre, following the route laid out by his Pokenav. Luckily the artist had enough of Seviper's form to finish the portrait on his own, but that was beside the point. As they sprinted out of Lilycive, Silver noticed the rain start up again, but this time he had bigger worries than soaked clothes. The dark clouds rolled overhead, disgorging their load at their own pace, but still drenching the route completely. Mt. Pyre, Hoenn's grave site for Pokemon, suddenly came into sight; more of a hill than a mountain, it had a tower on top where most of the graves resided, as well as their keepers both human and Pokemon.

"This is it, Shedinja. I'll make a pact here and now; we'll either stop Team Aqua or die trying, right?" Silver spluttered through the rain, and although in truth he didn't expect to die, he didn't think they'd be gentle when he interfered yet again either. They crept towards the hill, but it was empty and as silent as the graves it held. There were no guards outside, which made Silver's foreboding increase if anything; they had either got what they wanted and fled, or they were confident enough not to bother with security. He crawled up the slippery hill and pushed open the door, which creaked as loudly and creepily as he expected. Walking inside and closing the door, he looked around with trepidation. Everything was silent and still, and the only sound was the dripping of water from his clothes and the patter of rain against the stained glass windows. He could see the wet footprints of several people on the blue-grey stoned floor, which led to the staircase, and several graves which had fortunately been left alone. "Combusken, come out. I need someone reliable here. Get ready for one heck of a fight if we're not too late," he whispered, releasing the Fire Pokemon, who stood by him solidly.

"Combusken," Combusken said, and pointed up the staircase.

"Right. Let's go," Silver agreed, and the two of them, as well as Shedinja, crept over to the stairs, ascending their wide, archaic steps and hoping Team Aqua couldn't hear the echoes that bounced around from their footfalls. They reached the second floor; nothing. The same with the third floor. The only sign of life at all was the series of wet footprints, which always led to the next staircase. Everything else was completely untouched. As he made his way to the fourth staircase, a stitch burning in his side, an odd puppet-like Pokemon reared up in front of him, seeping out of a nearby wall and glaring at him angrily. As he stumbled backwards in shock, he found himself surrounded by similar creatures, although some were Duskulls, which he recognised from his Pokemon Contest. Combusken took up a battle position readily, glancing around at all of his foes as they closed in. Silver ducked beneath a fiery Will-o-Wisp, but was knocked off his feet by a Night Shade as he tried to barge through them. Combusken tried to Double Kick one, but was similarly floored as the creatures congregated and angrily attacked, whistling through the air and moaning in their own inexplicable language. "They must think we're from Team Aqua," Silver realised, clenching his teeth as another Will-o-Wisp grazed his arm. "Combusken, tell them we're friends! Tell them we want to stop Team Aqua!" he cried, but slumped backwards, his vision blurred as a Night Shade struck him full in the chest. Combusken was being battered on all sides, fighting still but never connecting, unwilling to give up. All of a sudden, just as everything seemed lost, Shedinja floated in front of him, and the attacks stopped as the Ghost Pokemon viewed this intruder. Silver sat up, rubbing his head painfully, and he saw that Shedinja was communicating, telling them that they weren't of Team Aqua; that, in fact, they wanted to stop the evil group. The Ghosts had a quick conference, then parted, and Silver got to his feet feeling thoroughly battered and bruised. "Well done, Shedinja. Without you, we were done for," he said, only just restraining himself from hugging the floating shell in gratitude.

"Combusken," Combusken groaned, getting to his feet, and he looked just as bad as Silver, if not worse.

"Combusken, you were brilliant. Now let's get going. Huh? Shedinja, aren't you coming?" Silver said, seeing the creature stay in place, but it seemed that he was merely helping their cause further by staying put; the Ghosts, feeling his vibrations and communicating as only Pokemon could, now rallied around them, like a small private army. Shedinja floated over to his usual spot beside Silver and looked as if it had all been easy for one of his talents. "Yes! Now we'll give Aqua a fight to remember! Let's go, everyone!"

"Shuppet!"

"Duskull!" Cries of this nature echoed around on all sides as the group raced up (or through) the stairs, filled with new spirit. After ascending the final, fifth staircase, they emerged on the top of the tower, which was open to the air. Crowded there were a dozen or more Team Aqua members, who looked as if they were impatiently waiting for something, as well as Archie, who was cradling a red orb as if his life depended on it. An old couple were tied up in the corner, looking helplessly on as the Aqua members moved to protect their leader.

"Silver! Good to see you again. Unfortunately, you're too late, even if my ride is behind schedule. That little army of yours can't stop me from taking this valuable orb away with me, so give up now and we won't be forced into anything nasty," Archie said from behind the throng.

"Sorry, Archie. If you want the red orb, it means that it's my job to take it away from you," Silver said, hoping to regain his breath by stalling for time. Unfortunately, as he said that, Poochyenas, Mightenas, Carvanhas, Wailmers and more were released from their Pokeballs, providing Archie with even more protective muscle.

"I'd like to see you try. Remember, we beat those Ghost Pokemon on the way up, and we can beat them again,"

"But you've never beaten me. Everyone, come out! Pick your targets and charge!" Silver cried, setting loose his Pokemon and running into the fray himself, risking life and limb to get to Archie. The swarm of Ghosts let loose bolts of Night Shade and burning Will-o-Wisps as the rest of the group wreaked their own particular brand of havoc with all the might they could muster. Shedinja was like a living shield for Silver, protecting him from blasts of water and sonic energy as he pushed the nearest Aqua Grunt out of his way, trying to use surprise to force his way to the leader. Suddenly, a burly man grabbed him from behind, trying to force the Pokemon into surrender by threatening their master; he met his match as Shedinja blasted him to kingdom come with a Shadow Ball. Archie was mere metres away... suddenly, the sounds of battle were drowned out by the whirring of helicopter blades, and a huge aerial machine was lowering a ladder down from a hatch. Archie stuffed the red orb into a secure pocket and raced up the ladder as fast as he could, crying,

"Retreat! No sense on pointless battle!" The rest of Team Aqua routed, fighting each other to get up the ladder first, recalling their Pokemon and scrabbling up the metal rungs until the last one was hanging off the end. The machine then rose away, drawing the ladder inside as it flew off too quickly to pursue, in the direction of Lilycove City but flying much further past it. The Ghost Pokemon swirled around them in a joyous pattern, crying out happily; for them, this had been a victory. But for Silver, it had been a loss; Archie had escaped with the important red orb. He didn't know what the orb did, but Archie wanting it meant it had some strange power or use.

"Shedinja, keep the Ghosts in check and make sure they're alright. Everyone else, return, have a nice rest. Zangoose, cut their bonds first," Silver sighed quickly, and as the creature's talons tore through the ropes of the old couple, Zangoose was sucked inside his Pokeball along with the others. "Good job, all of you. You were really brave. Here, let me help you..." He turned his attention to the old couple, whom he pulled to their feet as delicately as he could.

"I don't know who you are, but to be against Team Aqua, you must be our friend. We are the guardians of the two orbs; blue and red. They rested there, on that podium, and they held strange and incredible powers. They helped the deceased to sleep well and long, and now... now they've been stolen. Team Magma slipped in here yesterday, only a man called Tabitha, who struck like an assassin and stole the blue orb. Not like those Aqua thugs... But nevertheless, both orbs are taken. I fear that Hoenn is in for dark and difficult times," the old woman said, shaking her head in despair as her husband put his arm around her.

"Any idea why they'd want the orbs?" Silver asked desperately.

"Legend says the orbs have the power to awaken a Legendary Pokemon of incredible power; the red orb can summon up a great Water beast, and the blue orb controls the Ground monster. If these Pokemon are to be used in the escalating war between Team Magma and Team Aqua, then the very world itself may tremble," the old man replied dolefully. Silver's deep concentration as he thought about the orbs and the legend was broken as someone touched his shoulder. He turned to see a man with quite long, ice-blue hair, wearing an elaborate, ornate shirt that matched his locks, purple trousers and a flowing white cloak with a hood.

"What's happened here?" he asked briskly, looking from Silver to the guardians.

"The red orb has been stolen. Hoenn is in great danger!" the old woman cried, before collapsing into tears. Her husband led her downstairs to comfort her, leaving Silver and the newcomer on the roof.

"Who are you?" Silver managed, running his hand through his hair.

"My name is Wallace, former Gym Leader of Sootopolis City. Foe and eternal opposition to Team Aqua and Team Magma. Who, might I ask, are you, and what has occurred today?"

"I'm Silver, a Pokemon Trainer. Like you, I'm trying to stop Team Magma and Aqua. I got here a few minutes ago, and me, my Pokemon and the Ghosts attacked Team Aqua here. But they got away in a helicopter thing before I could stop them, with the red orb in tow," he said guiltily, looking at the floor. Wallace gripped his chin and lifted his head, looking into his eyes. After a while, he said,

"You're speaking truthfully, as far as I can tell. You were brave, but you should have left it to the professionals. Did you see where the aerial machine was headed?"

"Towards Lilycove, but further afield," Silver explained. Wallace smiled grimly to himself.

"Mossdeep. Perfect. Excuse me, I must contact a friend and colleague immediately," Wallace pulled out an ice-blue Pokenav and pressed a quick-call button, and the other end was almost instantly picked up. "No, I didn't get there in time. But they're headed in your direction, just as we predicted. What? Well, that's irritating. They could ruin everything..." he said, and with only half the conversation Silver could only guess what was being discussed. "No, no, stay where you are and protect the city. Let Aqua have free rein for now, and when they strike, we'll know about it. Lance is at the Weather Institute now monitoring for any anomalies. Pardon? Oh, a boy told me. He attacked Team Aqua on his own, but for a group of Ghost Pokemon which he rallied to his cause. His name? Silver, I believe," Wallace looked to Silver for confirmation, and the boy nodded. "Yes, Silver. What? You want to talk to him? OK, I'll hand you over," Wallace passed the Pokenav to Silver, who slowly raised it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Silver, it is you!" a soft voice he recognised as Steven Stone emanated from the device. "I'm impressed that you managed to arrive before Wallace, and well done for trying to ruin Team Aqua's plans. But events are moving quicker and we need to sort our plans out. The two Teams are too close to their goals, and we are expecting them to strike almost in tandem, as they will be moving quickly to try and eliminate each other. Myself, Wallace and a man named Lance are a group loosely known as the Pokemon Warriors. We have set ourselves against the Teams and are opposing them at every turn. So far, we have managed to keep them in check, but as they have grown more desperate and eager for power, events such as today's disaster occur, and we can merely prepare for the holocaust to come,"

"Lance, as in the Dragon Master? Former Elite Four member of Kanto and Johto?" Silver asked quickly, hardly daring to believe his ears.

"Yes, I am impressed by your general knowledge,"

"No, I used to know him. Me and him disbanded Team Rocket in Goldenrod City,"

"Then I am even further impressed by your abilities as a Trainer. But congratulations must come later. Team Magma have issued a threat that they will launch an attack on the Space Centre to steal some vital fuel, with which they hope to either awaken a Legendary Pokemon or use to power their drilling machines to higher levels. The Space Centre is in my hometown, Mossdeep City. I think what's best is that you come here and help me fight them off, whilst Wallace continues to investigate where Team Aqua may have gone and Lance monitors the weather. If you are willing, of course,"

"Sure, I'll be glad to help! Me and my Pokemon are at your command," Steven stifled a chuckle.

"Your servitude is not needed, my friend, only your bravery and comradeship. As you are proving such a valiant fighter, and both myself and Lance can call you a friend, I am sure that Wallace will have no trouble in you borrowing one of his Pokemon to get here quickly. Please pass the Pokenav back to him so I can finalise some details," Silver obediently handed the Pokenav back to Wallace, who immediately started talking.

"As you were speaking to Silver, I found something that Team Magma must have left behind, intentionally or not. It's their symbol, the same badge which most of them wear, which will in theory open the secret door to their base. According to my sources, anyway. All we need to do now is find out where exactly their base is," He stopped for a moment, listening intently. "Yes, that would be the obvious location, being a volcano. But I think we should wait until their bid to gain the fuel has been thwarted; then at least we know we can attack with impunity, whilst they are in retreat and trying to think up a new plan. What? You want Silver to fly over on Mantine? But he failed to stop Aqua from escaping..." Wallace said impatiently, then listened some more. "Fine, fine, if I am outvoted so be it. Call me later, when you have beaten away Team Magma, then we can discuss matters further. Goodbye," Wallace pressed a button and switched the Pokenav off. "It seems that you are a highly respected Trainer within our little group. Mantine, come out!" he said, and the flat Water and Flying dual type appeared, hovering like a float plane. "Mantine, take Silver to Mossdeep City. Am I right in the fact that you'll be able to find me again?" Mantine dipped its head sombrely and Wallace patted him on the wing gratefully. "Silver, grab firmly onto Mantine's shoulders. That's the way. Shedinja may have trouble keeping up, but seeing as you apparently cannot return him, the point is academic. Take the Magma symbol to Steven, he may be able to discover its secret, should it have one at all," He pressed the symbol into Silver's hand and patted Mantine's head as the boy clambered onto his back. "Fly swift and true, my friend. The day is coming soon where time will be precious," Mantine nodded again, then launched itself up into the air, streaking towards Mossdeep City like a UFO. Silver clutched its back, thinking over what had happened as the air rushed past. Only an hour ago, he wouldn't have believed he would be involved in some wide-reaching plot to stop the Teams gaining control. Now he was heading for his friend Steven in Mossdeep City, and Hoenn was heading for a time of peril the likes of which it had never seen before.


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 37**

Mantine touched down effortlessly in the shallows that washed up against Mossdeep's beach, and as soon as Silver climbed off his back and thanked him for the ride, he took off again and hurtled back from whence he had come.

"Silver! Over here!" a voice cried, and Silver turned to see a familiar person running across the sand towards him; Steven Stone. "Are you OK? Were you hurt in the battle?"

"Nothing that won't heal by itself. My Pokemon may have taken a lot of damage, though, I lost track of them in the fight," Silver said ruefully. "Here, Wallace told me to give this to you," he handed over the Magma symbol, and Steven spared it a glance before putting it in his pocket.

"The health of your Pokemon will soon prove to be paramount. Come with me back to my abode; there, you can all rest. One of my Pokemon is keeping watch over the Space Centre, and will alert me when Team Magma attacks," he explained, and Silver gratefully followed him, not even paying attention to the town he was in as he recovered from the ordeal at Mt. Pyre. Steven's house was the north-westernmost building in the entire city, almost right on the cliff edge, and it had an amazing view of the sea for miles around. Inside, it was almost an average house, but in place of decorations and other comforts were glass cases depicting various valuable stones from all around Hoenn. Silver splayed out on the sofa tiredly at Steven's command, whilst he took a leather chair similar to his father's, next to a desk with a computer on. Swivelling around on it, he faced Silver and surveyed him inscrutably for a second. "Please release your Pokemon so I may have a look at them. If a more skilled hand is needed, the Pokemon Centre is close by," Silver obeyed and set loose his Pokemon, all of which were battered at varying degrees. "Hmm... Combusken, Seviper and Kecleon could use some treatment. Zangoose, Breloom and Corphish look as though they will recover with some rest, but I suppose as half of your team is going to the Pokemon Centre, they may as well go too. Mawile, come out," An odd-looking Pokemon with what looked like a huge mouth sprouting from the back of its head emerged from one of Steven's Pokeballs. Silver couldn't even find the strength or inclination to lift the Pokedex and find out more about it. "Silver, please recall your Pokemon. Mawile will carry the Pokeballs in her mouth; the nurses will recognise her as belonging to me," He turned to Mawile as Silver set about recalling his Pokemon. "Mawile, please be careful with them. Look after them at the Pokemon Centre and return them as soon as they are feeling up to it,"

"Thanks. Both of you," Silver said wearily, placing the Pokeballs inside the wide-open trap at the back of Mawile's head before watching the creature set off towards the Pokemon Centre.

"It is I who should be thanking you. You near enough confirmed our suspicions about Team Aqua, and did your best to slow them down, too," Steven smiled, then his face darkened slightly. "But I hope that your Pokemon will heal quickly. I feel that your assistance will be needed in the coming battle to save the Space Centre,"

"Don't worry, the guys will be fine. They've recovered from worse, I'm sure of it. So when can we expect the attack?"

"I'm not sure. I expected midday, because that is when the sun is at its zenith, or slightly later to coincide with the usual period of peak temperature; it would suit their image, you see. But now, there isn't much of the day left, so your guess is as good as mine,"

"How come they warned you about it?"

"Now there's a question. I have several theories, but they boil down to two main ones. The first is that they want to demonstrate their power; knowing that they are going to attack will make us raise our defences, and if they still defeat us it will be a big indicator of how strong they have become, and how futile it is to resist them. The second is that they want to distract our attention away from another one of their schemes, one which they hope to carry out in secrecy but needs a diversion to work fully. If this is the case, we should be worried, as it means they're on to something we know nothing about, and thus something we cannot counter or even prepare for," Steven replied thoughtfully.

"So what plans have the Warriors got in the future?" Steven hesitated at this, wondering how much he should let on.

"As you are not a member, and in Wallace's eyes you cannot be fully trusted, I cannot let on specifics. It may not come to the end we fear, but we are only three people against two huge organisations. We can only delay the inevitable and work with it when it finally arrives. Suffice to say that there are strange legends about a great Pokemon who can supposedly calm others and stop a rampage, and we are currently trying to locate it. At the moment, Wallace should be tracking down Team Aqua, and hopefully infiltrating their base and capturing their leader, Archie. After Team Magma have struck, we, as in myself and you if you are willing, will attack the Team Magma headquarters and try to stop them. Hopefully, by defeating both at once, we can neutralise any threats they pose. But our hopes are not overly high,"

"And Lance? I've seen him fight before, and I know he could be a huge help,"

"Lance is currently at the Weather Institute, as you know, and is studying strange meteorological patterns. His job is perhaps the most pivotal of all, as when he contacts us we will have an excellent indication of whether we have succeeded or failed. You see, certain Pokemon can change the weather, and Team Aqua and Team Magma want these Pokemon to do their bidding to influence the world one way or another. If there is a hugely increased amount of rainfall, for example, Lance will contact us and we know Team Aqua will have awakened their particular champion. I'm afraid I cannot go into more detail, as Wallace would be unhappy with the amount I have already divulged,"

"I understand. I'll help as much as I can, even if I don't understand what I'm doing. Which is probably what happens most of the time anyway," Silver joked. Steven smiled but his eyes remained hard and focused.

"I recommend you call your friends and loved ones, as the stakes we play for are very high. Death is improbable, but serious injury is certainly possible. We will potentially be dealing with world-shaking forces which no man could stand up to for more than a few seconds before being swept aside. I don't wish to dishearten or discourage you, but not informing you of the risks would be immoral and foolish," he explained quickly. Silver's stomach twisted into a tight knot at his words, but he wasn't about to give in now. He was willing to fight against their tyranny as much as he could, and if that meant... _bad things_ happening, then so be it.

"Can I just go into the other room, then?" he said, licking his dry lips.

"Of course. I shall wait here and await Mawile," Steven replied, then swung the chair back so that it was facing the computer as he pondered the future grimly. Silver walked into an adjoining room, shut the door and pulled out his Pokenav, his hands shaking. Who to call first? His eyes travelled down the short list of names and found Wally's. He would find it easier to start with a friend rather than family, and work his way up from there. Pressing the 'call' button, he waited until a familiar voice emanated from the Pokenav.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me, Silver," Silver said shakily.

"Silver! How are you? Are you calling to say you've already won your seventh badge?"

"Not exactly. I just wanted to warn you, wherever you are, that bad things are heading towards Hoenn in the near future. Team Aqua and Magma are really, really close to getting what they want, and in the ensuing fight everything might get destroyed. We're dealing with Legendary Pokemon with unimaginable power, so that's not even an exaggeration," Silver replied, feeling drained, as if he hadn't eaten or drank in days. Wally waited for a couple of seconds before replying.

"So... you're serious? Legendary Pokemon, out to wreck the world? How d'you know?"

"It's too complicated to go into it right now. I just wanted to warn you, and say that you were a great friend. I hope you fulfil your dreams and travel the world with Pokemon,"

"Well, actually, I'm sort of doing that right now. I slipped away a few days ago, and haven't spoken to my family since. Left them a note saying I was heading towards the Pokemon League,"

"Wow! So I guess you're feeling better now?"

"A lot better. Illness is behind me now. I feel like I've been reborn into a more powerful body. I can do anything I want, walk anywhere I want, speak with who I want. It's incredible for someone like me to experience life like this. Maybe one day we can battle, after all this is over?"

"I hope so, Wally. I really hope so. Thanks for having a word, anyway. It's great to hear from you,"

"I'll see you later. I swear one day we'll have a Pokemon battle," The Pokenav made its usual clicking noise as it snapped shut, cutting off the conversation. Wally's description of life only made everything more difficult; now he knew what he was leaving behind should everything go wrong. He'd never polish Seviper's skin, or have one last battle with Typhlosion, or introduce his old team to his new team. Who to call next... He was about to phone up Crystal when Steven burst in, looking more flustered than Silver had ever seen him.

"Team Magma is attacking the Space Centre. Stay here and wait for your Pokemon; I'm going to take them on and slow them down until you arrive and we can finish them off," he said quickly, then turned tail and fled before Silver could stop him. A Skarmory flapped behind him, evidently the messenger he had spoken of before. Silver sat in position for a second, torn; should he pursue Steven anyway, and help out as much as he could? Or should he wait here as he was told, and possibly condemn Steven to a long, arduous battle whilst he twiddled his thumbs? Suddenly, an idea hit him; he'd go to the Pokemon Centre and get everyone who was ready for battle, and leave everyone who wasn't. Leaping up from his seat, he charged out of the front door and sprinted towards the Pokemon Centre as fast as he could. Luckily, he found Mawile waiting in the Centre's garden, and the creature pointed over to where his Pokemon were resting.

"Guys! It's time for battle. Who's up for it?" he said breathlessly, not willing to let himself rest even for a moment. When no reply was forthcoming, he said, "You all look like you've been treated, so you can all come. Rest in your Pokeballs on the way and fight if you can. Let's go!" He recalled all of the stunned creatures and grabbed Mawile by the shoulder, steering her outside and explaining the situation on the way. "Can you show me where the Space Centre is?"

"Mawile," Mawile replied solidly, and scooted off down the street, Silver following as best he could. The Space Centre itself was built out of white stone, and had a dome at the top with a huge telescope poking out, like an observatory. Around the back of the Centre was a huge, complex array of metal and machines that supported a gigantic rocket, primed for launch. Silver, Shedinja and Mawile burst in through the glass doors, and immediately saw that Steven was battling with not two but three Magma Grunts at once. He had one Pokemon out of its Pokeball, a huge, monstrous creature with four splayed legs. The Pokedex, if he had used it, would have described it as Metagross, and it was battling a Mightyena, a Camerupt and a Magcargo all at the same time. Mawile launched itself over and snapped its huge jaws around Mightyena's head, blinding and distracting it, whilst Silver sent out Corphish to deal with a stunned Camerupt.

"Silver! Good timing indeed. If you can finish up here, I'll take my leave," Steven said in a relieved voice as Magcargo was splattered by a concentrated burst of Psychic energy.

"Feel free. Just don't get into such a mess again," Silver said as Camerupt staggered back, the victim of a Bubblebeam. He often found it weird how people, even himself, could be calm and collected in battle and freak out at minor things such as 'Marshtomp Thanks'. Steven and Metagross ran upstairs to take on some more Magma goons as Silver tied up the other three, their Pokemon having fainted and the fight having been beaten out of them by one or two Crabhammers that Silver didn't authorise but didn't exactly regret either. When everything was under wraps, he followed Steven upstairs, Corphish and Mawile trailing him closely. There was even more chaos going on upstairs; police agents and Steven were on one side, and they faced half a dozen Team Magma Grunts, as well as Tabitha (with whom Steven was battling). "The police are outnumbered. How d'you feel about evening up the odds slightly?" Corphish waved his pincers happily, and Mawile responded by leaping backwards again and biting a Houndoom's forked tail. "Corphish, Bubblebeam! Then Crabhammer that guy!" Silver ordered, assessing the state of play, and a Numel was blasted into his Trainer by a powerful stream of bubbles whilst the same Houndoom that Mawile was struggling with was knocked out by a Crabhammer right between the eyes. With Silver's arrival, the Team Magma Grunts seemed disoriented, and were on the verge of falling back completely as the police redoubled their attacks. Tabitha himself cursed as his final Pokemon met its end at Metagross' hand, and leapt out of the nearest window, grabbing onto a girder outside to halt his fall before dropping back down to firm ground.

"Team Magma, retreat! To the rocket!" he yelled, and the rest of Team Magma's resistance crumbled as they too fled, with only three escaping as the rest were dealt with by the police. Tabitha led a sprint towards the rocket, no doubt hoping to sabotage it, but Steven held Silver back as he went to try and stop them.

"I expected them to flee to the rocket and hold it hostage should they fail. A barrier has been set up," The barrier in question emerged from behind the rocket and roared menacingly, its footsteps making the ground shake; Aggron, according to the Pokedex, was a dual Steel and Rock type who loved to fight. Tabitha and the rest of the Magma Grunts stopped in their tracks as Aggron emerged in front of them, and had a quick conference as the beast bore down on them. Tabitha seemed to be talking into some sort of mobile phone, probably calling for help from base, as his already battered Camerupt did its very best to halt Aggron in its tracks with Fire and Ground attacks. Aggron responded by actually grabbing Camerupt and lifting him effortlessly into the air, his legs waving helplessly, and throwing him at Tabitha and the Grunts, flooring them like ninepins. "Now! Apprehend them whilst they're helpless!" Steven ordered, and the police obeyed him, seeing him as a powerful ally who meant business. Soon, the Team Magma agents were captured, and were sent off to the prison as quickly as possible. However, Steven still looked grim, completely different to Silver and the cops who were laughing and joking in relief about their victory.

"What's wrong?" Silver asked him quietly as they left the scene of the battle.

"I saw Tabitha phone someone. That means Team Magma knows of his failure, and will be planning something else at this very instant. We need to leave for Mt. Chimney as soon as possible if we want to catch him by surprise,"

"Mt. Chimney? The one near Fallarbor Town? Wait a minute... I saw a Magma guy there when I went down Jagged Pass! I didn't even suspect their base was there..." he said to himself, clicking his fingers in triumph before mourning his own short-sightedness.

"Do you think you could lead me to that spot if I get us to Jagged Pass?" Steven said, and by the intensity of his gaze Silver knew he had stumbled on something very important.

"I'll do my best," Silver replied, and stopped walking as they neared the edge of the cliff, below which the sea churned angrily.

"Metagross, you were excellent today. Come out," Steven said, setting loose the huge Steel creature from before. "Fly us to Mt. Chimney as fast as you can, my friend," Steven climbed onto Metagross' back as the creature lowered its body, and he helped Silver up as well. "Don't worry about holding on," he said as Silver looked around for handholds. ""Metagross will keep us stable and secure with his Psychic power," And for the second time that day, Silver found himself in flight on board a Pokemon, following a vicious battle with a Team who wanted nothing less than a Legendary Pokemon at their command.


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 38**

"Ah! Well done, Silver. You have led us to exactly the correct spot," Steven said in a satisfied voice as he examined the rock face seconds after dismounting from Metagross. The Steel Pokemon had flown them unerringly to the Jagged Pass; specifically, the place where Silver had seen a Team Magma Grunt standing all that time ago. Flying with Metagross was odd, as it was almost like being in a bubble; no wind blew and any clouds they flew through didn't even touch them, protected as they were by Psychic power.

"How can you tell?" Silver asked, gratefully sliding off the rock-hard Metagross and getting back onto firm ground.

"To a rock enthusiast like myself, such a fake wall is blindingly obvious. Just like this hole, which is the correct place to insert the Magma symbol," Steven continued, pulling the Magma symbol from his pocket and pushing it into a small crevice. True to his word, the smooth rock wall slid open like a door, and Silver, Steven, Shedinja and Metagross scurried inside before it scraped shut once more. They were in a huge underground cavern, littered with digging machines and the various paraphernalia of a large group of people; tables, chairs, stores of food, sleeping bags and more. There were also a profusion of electric fans, as the inside of the volcano was very hot, making the air feel thick and difficult to breathe. What was strange was that there was absolutely nobody inside whatsoever. Not even a Pokemon stood guard. They exchanged glances, knowing something must be wrong, and Silver followed Steven as he made his way across the cave towards a large, downward-leading, man-made corridor that led deep into the earth, towards the centre of the volcano.

"Are they trying to tap the lava reserves?" Silver asked as they gingerly made their way down the tunnel.

"In a way, yes. But I think they are more interested in what's inside the lava than the lava itself," Steven replied cryptically.

"Inside the lava? Wait... you don't mean... a Legendary Pokemon? Down here?" Silver asked incredulously, feeling weak at the knees at the very prospect.

"If our sources and beliefs are accurate, then yes, that is what we face. That's why the lack of Team Magma members resonates so badly; perhaps they awoke the beast and lost control, and it destroyed them all. But even then, we should have seen some indication..." Steven replied in a faintly frustrated voice. "Whatever happens, we now draw near to the source of the problem. Prepare for battle," No more was said as they progressed, with Silver trying to stay focused and forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other instead of about-turning and running away as fast as he could. Deeper and deeper they went, and it grew hotter and hotter; so hot, that Steven produced two filtering masks from his pockets. "Put this on. Shedinja should be fine, as he has no need to breathe. Metagross, return," The thin plastic mask actually managed to filter the air slightly, making it easier to breathe and stopping them getting light-headed and risking fainting. Suddenly, they heard voices up ahead, and they instinctively made themselves as inconspicuous and quiet as possible as they rounded a corner, hiding behind two metal barrels. The cavern was large, although not as large as the previous one, and it was full of at least two dozen Team Magma members. At the front, standing on a metal box to elevate himself, was Maxie, and he was talking to the crowd. What was more incredible and terrifying than all of this was that one wall of the cavern had been completely replaced by a glass-like substance which allowed them to see into the lava pooled under Mt. Chimney. Nestled in the molten rock like a baby, and almost pressed up against the glassy wall, was an immense red and grey Pokemon that resembled some sort of dinosaur. Silver dearly wanted to find out what it was, but knew far better than to consult the Pokedex at a time like this, so focused on Maxie's rhetoric.

"...and so today, my friends and colleagues, we will begin to save a world. We will use Groudon to expand the world's landmass, making more space to live and build upon. Gone will be the destruction of habitats and battles over land, because there will be enough space for everyone to live in peace! It has been difficult, as well you know, and we have been thwarted more than once by unbelievers. But now..."

"Now you shall be thwarted once again. You may recognise me, Maxie?" Steven called, revealing himself but making motions for Silver to stay hidden.

"Steven Stone! A feared Warrior, all alone against Team Magma. Or is Lance here? Perhaps dear Wallace?" Maxie sneered, recovering from the surprise quickly.

"None of them. Only me. But I shall be enough," Steven replied, then hissed at Silver like a ventriloquist, "While I distract them, slip around and get the blue orb. Stop Maxie using it," Silver nodded silently and Steven cried, "Metagross, come out! Today we'll stop the tyranny of Team Magma once and for all,"

"Oh, stop with that idiotic 'tyranny' idea. You are merely a fool who doesn't see how much good our plans can do. For getting in our way for far too long, you shall be erased. Team Magma, attack!" There was an echoing zapping noise and red flash of light as the Team Magma members released their Pokemon; in some cases, two or three. Steven stood alone against at least forty foes, and it was Silver's job to make sure he didn't fight in vain. The Warrior drew their attention to the side as Silver slipped from cover to cover, making Metagross cause as much flashy havoc as he could to distract his foes. Harsh voices called out orders and the swarm of Pokemon attacked Metagross, getting in each other's way and allowing the Steel Pokemon to pick off individuals for a few seconds before they got more organised. As Silver drew closer to Maxie, who was predictably watching from behind and allowing his soldiers to wear down Steven, he wondered how he should go about his attack. Should he attack the orb directly and try and smash it, or would that activate it? Or should he attack Maxie and hope that it couldn't be activated in a second or two, before he could pry it loose from his grip? A mixture of the two would be best, he believed. Hoping the sounds of battle could cover his own noise, he whispered,

"Zangoose, come out. You too, Corphish. This is really important, so listen, guys. Zangoose, can you attack Maxie from the front and distract his attention for a second, and Corphish, use Knock Off or Crabhammer or something to knock the orb loose from his hand, OK?" Corphish and Zangoose nodded, and Silver watched his plan unfold, slipping directly behind Maxie to catch the orb when it fell.

"What is this? Another Trainer's here, is he... Ouch!" Maxie said as Zangoose dodged in front of him, then hit him with a Slash attack across the chest that ripped his suit to shreds. Corphish timed it perfectly and leapt up as Maxie staggered backwards, pounding the blue orb out of his grasp with a claw and sending it rolling away. "No! Come back here!" Maxie cried at the orb, as if it could respond, and lunged after it; however, it slipped out of his fingers. Silver jumped for it himself, but when he was centimetres away Maxie's Mightyena attacked from the side, barging him away and standing in between the two, snarling. A second later Mightyena and Zangoose were facing off, the Normal Pokemon having Slash attacked from Mightyena's side and making him yelp in pain. Silver and Maxie pushed and shoved at each other as they crawled closer to the orb, both as driven and eager as each other to get the orb in their grip. Suddenly, Maxie went all out, and kicked Silver's leg, making him buckle. Lunging for the orb, he managed to get a few fingers on it, and closed his eyes as if thinking deeply. It suddenly began to glow blue, until Corphish took his chance again and whacked it so hard that it flew all the way across the room, above the still-battling Steven and his many foes.

"Yes! Good job, Corphish!" Silver cried, but his smile vanished completely as he looked up and saw that Groudon's eye was open, a great amber orb full on anger and surprise.

"Ha! Good shall always triumph! Groudon is awake, my Team! Let us rejoice!" Maxie yelled happily, but his words were drowned out as a gigantic, deep bellow emanated from Groudon's snarling mouth, the creature itself flexing its limbs and tail and moving as if the lava was just water around it. Then, rather than smashing the glass and killing them all as Silver expected, he swam downwards through the magma, and when he reached solid rock he started burrowing through it like an immense mole. In seconds he was gone, leaving silence in his wake. "Groudon! Come back! I am your master! You shall serve me!" Maxie screamed, but nothing happened. "You!" he turned to Silver venomously, a look of hatred in his eyes. "You and your Corphish ruined everything! You disrupted my control over the orb, and over Groudon! You are to blame for this!" Silver was helpless to resist as Maxie actually grabbed him by the throat, wanting to crush the life out of him with his own two hands. However, he was pried loose by unseen hands, and lifted up into the air as Steven and Metagross made their move. The fighting had ceased and the Team Magma members were muttering among themselves, wondering whether to attack or flee, and Steven walked over, grabbing the orb on the way and putting it in his pocket.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling Silver back to his feet.

"Yeah, I'll live," Silver spluttered, rubbing his throat and recalling Corphish and Zangoose after praising their prowess. Steven then turned and addressed everyone.

"If you want to live, get out. Groudon's awakening and escape will cause this volcano to erupt in mere minutes. Maxie, come with me. I'll not let you from my sight, you power-hungry fool," Team Magma seemed to be split, but when their leader didn't offer any encouragement or resistance, they fled towards the tunnel as one, recalling their Pokemon.

"Really? Will it erupt?" Silver asked, running alongside Steven's long strides as Metagross kept Maxie pinned to him with mental power.

"Yes. But it will not be big enough to destroy Lavaridge Town and Fallarbor Town; it will merely flood these caverns with lava and blast more ash into the air than usual. Its bark will be worse than its bite, as the saying goes," Silver's reply was cut off as a loud rumble echoed around the cavern, and everyone increased their pace. When they reached fresh air, exiting Team Magma's lair and coming out on the familiar area of Jagged Pass, Steven advised them all, "Get down to that lower ledge! The one without the overhang! We should be safe from avalanches or collapses there," Everyone scurried down the mountainside as quickly as they could, Team Magma looking like a herd of weird beasts in their same-colour costumes, and eventually they were all spread out on the flat ledge, looking up at the mountain. All of a sudden, the almost constant rumbling ceased, and a massive jet of ash, rock, smoke and magma blasted up into the air with a gigantic explosion of natural force. Everyone watching was coated with hot grey ash as it swept down the mountainside, along with a blast of sulphurous air that made them gag. Fortunately, no lava poured down after it; it seemed that Steven's predictions had been correct. When all aftershocks had ceased, Steven addressed Team Magma again. "You will surrender to Lavaridge Town's police force and give them a full account of what happened here," It was a statement of fact rather than a request or even a command. "Your leader is coming with me, to be questioned..." He broke off his speech as his Pokenav beeped, and he accepted the call quickly. "Lance? Yes, I expected it to be you. Yes, Mt. Chimney erupted, but nobody was hurt. Groudon is loose. Sootopolis City? Any idea why he may be headed in that direction? And heavy rainfall congregating there too? Then our fears have truly been realised. Kyogre and Groudon are both loose, and it seems as if their battle-field will be Sootopolis City. As your work in the Weather institute is done, go to the city immediately and get everyone prepared. I'll be there in a while. We must assume that Wallace has been defeated or slain. Goodbye,"

"What was that about?" Silver whispered, feeling the dread emanating from Shedinja in waves so powerful he could barely think of anything but running away.

"I'll answer questions later. First... ah, thank whatever gods there are for small mercies. Wallace?" Steven replied with relief, picking up the phone again as it rang for a second time. "Yes, I know, Lance has already said they're heading for Sootopolis. You have Archie and the red orb? Excellent. You must have been as unlucky as we were, then. Yes. I have Maxie and the blue orb, and me, Silver and Lance are heading for Sootopolis. I'll see you there," He snapped the phone shut and turned back to Silver, a grim expression on his face. "Come. We'll talk on the way. Now we must head for Sootopolis City and fight our worst fears come to life, or else perish in the attempt. Hoenn is depending on us,"


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 39**

"I advise that very young children and sensitive Pokemon leave the room, as the footage is disturbing and frightening. Over to Hoenn news reporter Gabby," The scene on the TV screen shifted from a suited woman sitting in a comfortable studio to a woman wearing a turquoise top and purple trousers.

"As you can see, Hoenn is the subject of some incredibly strange weather," Gabby shouted from the screen; it was necessary to shout as there was an almost constant rumbling of thunder, like a cannon firing round after round. She stepped aside and allowed the camera to focus on the landscape behind her. The sky was completely full of thick, swirling, black and purple clouds that poured constant rain and spat tongues of lightning every few seconds. "Such a storm has never been seen in Hoenn's history; perhaps even the world's history. Weather instruments at Hoenn's Weather Institute have gone wild, proclaiming a thunderstorm of such immense power that the security of our entire nation is under debate. The attacking enemy: Mother Nature. But that isn't the end of matters," Gabby spluttered excitedly, reappearing and looking even more drenched. The camera panned around and focused on another part of the sky. The stormclouds stopped as if they hit a barrier they couldn't penetrate, and beyond was a perfect, cloudless azure sky, complete with an abnormally huge-looking sun that seemed to burn even brighter and hotter than usual. "As you can see, half the sky is a raging storm, the other half a perfect summer's day. No scientists have been able to explain this phenomenon, although Professor Birch thinks there may be Legendary Pokemon involved. The focus of the struggle between storm and perfection appears to be around Sootopolis City, but all shipping has been stopped to the city, and thus we haven't been able to see what's happening there for ourselves yet. Judging by the power we see above us, it is clear that our very world is under siege, and we can but pray for release," Gabby and her wild weather footage disappeared and the official studio took back command.

"As the following pictures show, disaster is indeed on the cards, and there has been talk of evacuation of the entire Hoenn region," the reporter said, and various pictures flashed up of tidal waves, droughts and refugees clustering around planes that seemed headed for Johto and Kanto. At the press of a button, the TV switched off, and silence reigned.

"The whole Hoenn region's threatened, Tyrogue," Crystal said nervously, playing with the remote in her hands. "That's what they said, wasn't it?" Tyrogue nodded solemnly. "But Silver's in Hoenn! And Scott, too! Are they safe? Or have they been burned or drowned or... or..." Crystal teetered on the verge of tears, but snapped herself out of it as Togetic squeaked from her shoulder. "We need to be there. But how?" she despaired, until Tyrogue pointed out the window, from which the Violet City Gym was visible. "That's it! Well done, Tyrogue! Falkner's Pidgeot can fly about a hundred miles an hour, I've seen it speed above the city before. Get ready for take-off, guys; we're going to Hoenn,"

****

"Groudon, the beast we saw in the cave, is a Legendary Pokemon who is said to have had a hand in creating the world. The land, in this case," Steven explained quickly. They were speeding towards Sootopolis City as fast as Metagross could manage after his huge battle with Team Magma, and Steven was cluing Silver in about what they would find there as Maxie was pinned to the front of the beast. "His opposite number is Kyogre, a Legendary Water Pokemon, who apparently created the seas. They have lain undisturbed for countless years, millennia perhaps, until Team Magma and Team Aqua started up and meddled with their hibernation. The reason they did sleep so deeply, and for so long, is that they aren't meant to be awake. Legends predicted that the world could end if they did wake up, as they would seek each other out for a reason lost in time and battle until their battle-field, the world itself, no longer existed. Only one thing can reportedly save Hoenn from destruction; another Legendary Dragon Pokemon by the name of Rayquaza. As myself and Wallace took on Team Magma and Team Aqua respectively when our group was formed, Lance dedicated himself to finding the resting place of the creature, as he is the Dragon Master. He said he succeeded, but did not divulge its location to either of us, in case we betrayed him. Now we'll have to do our best to awaken it, so it can calm down Kyogre and Groudon as it did before and send them back into eternal slumber,"

"So why aren't we heading there now?" Silver asked as respectfully as he could.

"We have to explain the situation to Sootopolis City's residents so they can alert everyone else. Also, it will need the might of the Warriors combined to awaken Rayquaza, as according to the legends there will be many obstacles in our way. We're going to meet at Sootpolis, as you know, and devise a plan there," Silver and Steven fell silent as they thought about the enormity of their task, and what would happen if they failed. There wouldn't be anyone else to carry on the fight, as nobody else knew where Rayquaza dwelt; releasing the information would be violating the sacredness of the Legendary Pokemon and making him a constant target for collectors and evildoers from all around. Kyogre and Groudon would fight on and everyone in the entire world would fall by the wayside. Silver found it difficult to comprehend such huge consequences, so tried to forget about them and focus. He would aid the Warriors no matter what, even if it meant standing between Kyogre and Groudon and try to make them talk their troubles away. As long as he accepted that, he knew where his destiny lay. The rest of the journey passed in silence, although both Steven and Silver noticed the split sky; luckily, they were on Groudon's side, so their flight wasn't made more difficult with rain or lightning. When they touched down outside the Sootopolis Gym, apparently the agreed meeting place as Wallace, Archie and Lance waited there, they surveyed with mixed dread and wonderment what was happening in the sea relatively close by. Groudon was standing on a small island he had evidently just created for himself, and was blasting Solarbeams and hacking with his claws and swiping with his tail as tidal waves crashed against him, as well as the full might of the massive Kyogre that threw all his weight at his Ground type foe. Silver could almost feel the blows from his removed position, they were delivered with such power. One minute Groudon seemed to have the better of Kyogre, the next Groudon was being swept away by a wave. This pitched battle continued and didn't look like it was going to ever stop, like the legends foretold.

"Silver, I'm glad to see you safe and whole. It's a pleasure to see you again," Lance said, shaking Silver's hand and smiling. The two of them had disbanded Team Rocket's plans in Johto what seemed like a hundred years ago.

"You too. I'd take a dozen Team Rockets over these two," Silver replied, indicating the battling beasts, and Lance grew serious.

"Yes, I agree. We've got to move quickly before the two of them wreck what we have worked so hard to build together; human and Pokemon alike,"

"What have we done?" Maxie said faintly, looking out over the sea and sky.

"This isn't the world we wanted. We wanted peace and harmony!" Archie howled, sinking to his knees.

"Instead we brought the end of the world. What were we thinking, awakening two such powerful Pokemon? We never could have controlled them, even with the orbs," Maxie said sharply.

"Never," Archie repeated dazedly.

"I shall disband Team Magma here and now. I have already doomed myself into being Hoenn's most hated man for awakening Groudon,"

"Me too. Team Aqua is no more. There can be no turning back from this. I accept any punishments you have to offer," Archie slumped in front of Wallace and outstretched his hands as if he expected to be handcuffed.

"Good, because you aren't going anywhere but a high-security jail," Wallace snapped in reply. "We tried to tell you, time and again, that your actions would bring ruin rather than peace,"

"Enough," Steven said wearily. "There can be no profit from this argument. We must plan," Everyone turned to look at Lance.

"First we have to rest, even if only for a few minutes," the Dragon Master said wisely. "Our Pokemon will be tired, and they need to be near full strength for the task ahead. We need to put these two in the hands of the police, as well," He indicated the broken leaders of Team Aqua and Magma. Everyone reluctantly agreed with his commands, and Silver gave his Pokemon to the Pokemon Centre nurse who was waiting close by on Lance's orders, before sitting down and watching the Legendary battle. The two creatures seemed invincible, shrugging off blows that would defeat any other Pokemon in one hit. His hopes of succeeding dwindled as he looked on with increasing incredulity and fear.

"Don't worry. The Warriors are not about to stand by and watch," Wallace said softly, sitting beside him. "We will fight our hardest to awaken Rayquaza. There is nothing more that can be said,"

"I think it's crazy, not revealing his location to anyone. What if we fail? Then nobody can stop them," Silver replied hopelessly, indicating Groudon and Kyogre.

"People are already being evacuated. Besides, do you think it a better ending if, after we have saved the world from destruction, an evil organisation captures Rayquaza and uses his even greater power to establish their command over the world? I would think us better off destroyed than under the rule of a tyrant,"

"Really? Don't you think that life has to endure, no matter what?"

"Life must only endure whilst there can be happiness and peace. If all good things are erased from life, what point is there in living?" Wallace riposted, and Silver sighed.

"I'm not suited to these deep conversations. I just wish we could get going and settle this, once and for all,"

"Have no fear. The Warriors stand beside you in this fateful hour. Your Pokemon too shall fight by your side," Steven said, sitting down on his other side and handing him his healed Pokeballs.

"Thanks. But still... four people? Against two world-destroying Legendary Pokemon? Can there really be hope?" Silver said, clipping the Pokeballs onto his belt.

"There is always hope whilst we can rise up and fight for what we believe in," Lance entered the conversation, standing behind the three and watching the great Pokemon battle with unfathomable eyes. "And soon will come the time where we can do just that. Our Pokemon are ready. The Warriors are ready. Are you, Silver? If you don't feel up to this, you may stay behind and protect everyone as best you can. Perhaps you can do most good here,"

"No, I'll come. I'm in way too deep now. All for one and one for all," Silver replied miserably.

"That's the way we must think," Steven smiled, rising to his feet again and releasing Metagross. "Warriors all. We'll fight to the end, until none of us are left standing,"

"And our Pokemon shall fight even beyond that point. Silver, come with me on Dragonite's back. Metagross and Mantine deserve a rest with everything they've already been through today," Lance said, setting loose the huge Dragon Pokemon and climbing onto its back. Silver joined him, sealing his fate, and the three Pokemon and their riders took off together, flying over the battling behemoths below and following Lance's lead. Silver felt ominous, like he was heading for even worse than he was leaving behind in Sootpolis. Shedinja's dread seemed to be affecting his own thought processes, but as he realised this, it was easier to throw off the gloom. They were Shedinja's thoughts, not his. He was an unofficial Warrior now, joining with the others to save the world. It sounded ludicrous, but that was their situation. As they continued, Sootopolis becoming a mere blur on the horizon, thunder and lightning streaked half the sky as the blazing sun scorched the rest, creating a terrible contrasting effect over this battlefield Hoenn.


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 40**

The great spindly tower was incredibly tall, so tall in fact that the top could barely be seen. The Sky Pillar, Lance called it. As Silver approached on Dragonite's back, watching it point high up to the heavens like an accusing finger, he realised that it was indeed an appropriate name. He realised why people had never stumbled across Rayquaza's home before; the tower was so thin and separate from anything except miles of sea that nobody from civilisation could possibly see it, no matter how tall it was. The tower itself, he realised as they circled around it, looking for an appropriate place to land, was a rather ornate structure of subtle purples and blues, made by hands that had long since departed this world. According to Lance, Rayquaza would likely be at the very top of the tower, which was unfortunate; they were forced to land at the bottom due to the strong winds and storm created by Kyogre's mere presence in the world.

"Don't worry, Silver. The legends said that anyone trying to awake Rayquaza would face obstacles; perhaps it meant a long and gruelling climb. But I doubt we'll be that lucky," Lance added darkly as Dragonite landed with a thump outside the huge, arched entrance to the tower. It was, in fact, on a small piece of raised land, barely classifiable as an island, which the sea churned around mercilessly. However, some mysterious power seemed to be protecting the isle from the worst of Kyogre's wrath, diminishing waves and slowing wind. The clouds clustered around the top had even disappeared, showing some welcome blue sky beyond. "Is everyone ready?" Silver looked back down as Lance addressed everyone in a business-like tone.

"I am prepared. My Pokemon are ready, and that is what truly matters," Steven said solemnly, straightening his clothes slightly.

"I agree. Let's just get this over and done with; give it our all. Whether we win or lose, this is the last fight for the Warriors, so let us fight as never before," Wallace sniffed.

"That we shall, Wallace. Our opportunity for heroics will come soon enough, I fear. Silver? Ready to enter and take our chances with one of the most powerful creatures of all time?" Lance asked. Silver froze as he said that, but managed a nod.

"Yes. We all are," he said, tapping his Pokeballs.

"Then there is no reason to delay. Before we enter, just let me say that it was an honour working with all of you,"

"Indeed," Steven said, inclining his head at all in turn.

"Yes. A privilege, in fact. Now let's go," Wallace said impatiently, and swept inside the entrance before Silver could say a single word. Perhaps that was for the best, as he didn't know whether his mouth would have been able to move anyway. The rest followed Wallace, recalling their Pokemon to let them have one last minute of rest before they confronted whatever opposition the Sky Pillar had to throw at them. It didn't take them long to find the first piece of resistance, although it was vastly different to what any of them had expected. The ante-chamber, the entire first floor of the Sky Pillar, was crammed full of Team Aqua and Team Magma members, fighting each other as hard as they could, pulling no punches and showing no mercy in a pitched battle. Lance cursed.

"They must have been stationed here by their leaders. It seems I was not the only one to have learned about the Sky Pillar after all... But Archie and Maxie were too clever for each other, and now, rather than standing guard over Rayquaza and stopping anybody who could awake the creature and halt the rampage of their Legendary champions, they are fighting each other," he summarised quickly, which was lucky for Silver as he was wondering what on earth was going on.

"Perhaps we can slip past them whilst they distract each other," Wallace suggested.

"A reasonable plan. But they have already spotted us," Steven pointed out, seeing the battles actually die down as the Teams turned to face their new foes. There was conversation between both sides, the red and the blue-clothed, seemingly negotiating something.

"Can't we tell them that Archie and Maxie have disbanded their teams?" Silver hissed, watching the battlers talk.

"Do you think they would believe us?" Lance replied archly, and Silver had to admit he had a point. Suddenly, the two leaders of each faction moved forwards to the front of their soldiers. Silver recognised one of them as the Aqua Admin Matt. The other was a woman whose face was shadowed by her hood.

"Get out," Matt called simply.

"Or what? You'll band with your enemies and fight off the intruders, before ripping at each other's throats again?" Lance boomed in response.

"Pretty much. We know what you're after, and even the greatest of enemies have been known to unite temporarily to smash a common foe and defend a common objective. Our little feud can be sorted later, when we've dealt with you," the Magma woman sneered.

"Sorry, we're not leaving. We didn't want to be party-crashers, but the end of the world sort of forced us into it. Now move or get splattered," Lance said swiftly. There was muttering and even laughter amongst the ranks of Grunts, who were separated by Team even now to prevent infighting.

"_You_ splatter _us_? Dream on, loser. You're outnumbered about fifteen to one. And all of us have at least three Pokemon each. Concise enough for you?" Matt countered, quieting down his Grunts.

"Yes, thank you. Now that we have an estimation of your numbers, I know for a fact that we can beat you," Lance responded confidently. Silver felt like covering his mouth and dragging him away before he could do any more harm with his words, but he reasoned that the Dragon Master knew what he was doing. Hopefully.

"Fine. Expect no mercy," the Magma woman said, and the Magma Grunts moved up behind her, each clutching Pokeballs of their own. The Aqua Grunts similarly coalesced around Matt.

"I have come to expect nothing from Team Aqua and Team Magma. Warriors, get ready for battle!" Lance cried, and hurled his Pokeballs, releasing four Pokemon Silver recognised from their meeting in Johto; Dragonite, Aerodactyl, Charizard and Gyarados. Steven released six Pokemon evidently of the Steel type, but looking no less powerful; and Wallace's team was composed of elegant Water types. Arrayed against them were all manner of creatures, from Camerupts to Sharpedos. Silver set loose all of his Pokemon, who looked confused about their surroundings but could clearly see a battle was in the offing, and took up an appropriate stance.

"I've never seen a Pokemon battle so big before," Silver said nervously as the enemy charged towards them, a savage, multicoloured mass of unstoppable mayhem.

"Pokemon battle?" Steven said calmly. "No. This is a Pokemon _war_," A thousand different sounds echoed around the room as both sides launched their attacks; the spray of water, the clashing of jaws and claws, the shouts and screams of people, the spitting of fire and the rumbling of earthquakes. The Warriors were clearly outnumbered, and badly, but each of their Pokemon fought on like masters, battering and blasting anyone who came their way. The difference between Silver and the Warriors was that the Warriors all had experience of ordering six Pokemon at once; Silver had ordered two together at most, and only then once or twice. He found it difficult to collect his thoughts, and his Pokemon suffered as a result. Luckily, Lance was there, and pushed Silver himself away from a Hyper Beam from a vicious Mightyena.

"Silver, just order your Pokemon to battle on as they see fit," he said quickly. "You must be our secret weapon. Try and sneak past and climb the tower as quickly as you can. Awaken Rayquaza and end this once and for all," Silver was about to ask him how on earth this could be accomplished, but the Dragon Master was already away, parrying attacks from all sides and commanding his Pokemon like a true professional.

"Everyone, fight your hardest. Hold nothing back. Remember, we're fighting not for a Gym badge or Champion title, but for the world, and all the people in it. Just do your best," Silver said to his gathered forces, and they launched themselves back into the fray, commanding themselves as Silver and Shedinja crept away to hide. It seemed that all he was good for was sneaking away from battle and doing the dirty work from behind the scenes, letting everyone else be heroic and gain glory and prestige. Then he quickly reminded himself that this was above such petty things. Lance wasn't ordering him away because he feared he might take some of his limelight, but because he thought Silver could do the job he set. Filled with this fiery determination, Silver edged along the wall, staying as small as possible and using as much cover as he could. Suddenly, however, he darted from behind a rock and was faced with a snarling Mightyena, one who was building up a Hyper Beam in his jaws to wipe Silver out as he stumbled backwards in fear and surprise. His mind was wiped blank and he couldn't have done anything at all as he watched the Hyper Beam thunder towards his helpless form. Luckily, before even Shedinja could try and move into action, someone or something else took control. A blue blob of some sort, glowing with a red aura, dropped in front of him and not only stopped the Hyper Beam, but bounced it back and knocked the Mightyena out in a single blow.

"Woooooooooobuffet!" This cry roused Silver from his mind-freezing shock, and the blue blob turned and revealed itself to be Wobbuffet himself.

"Wobbuffet! What the...? How on...?" Silver stuttered, stumbling forwards, looking at Wobbuffet as if he couldn't quite believe he was there.

"I brought him, of course," an impatient, familiar voice said from behind, and he turned to see none other than Crystal, probably the person he would have least expected at a time like this. On her shoulder was Togetic, and Tyrogue stood by her side. What was more, a large Pidgeot stood behind her, looking imperious. When he couldn't find the muscles to work his mouth or legs, Crystal rolled her eyes and strode forwards, hugging him tightly. "It's been so long since I've seen you. But what am I doing? Now's not the time for romantic reunions," she slapped her forehead, releasing him and indicating the vicious battle that was going on around them.

"How?" Silver croaked, which was all he could manage.

"Ask later. For now, I can see we're in a bit of a mess. Lucky I came, really. Oh yeah, I stopped off at your house on the way into Hoenn. Here, you might want these," Crystal said calmly, handing over five familiar Pokeballs after recalling Wobbuffet.

"My old team?"

"That's right. And if my estimations are correct, and judging by the fact you were crawling around the edge of the room like a Weedle, they are, you need to get past these goons. Take Pidgeot, it belongs to Falkner. I'll help those guys kick some butt," she indicated the bird Pokemon, then the fiercely-fighting Warriors. "Heracross, Snorlax, Hitmontop, come out! Fight as hard as you can! Heracross, even you! Meanwhile, Tyrogue, me and you will get stuck in alongside them. Get going, Silver!" she said in annoyance, shoving him towards Pidgeot as Tyrogue jump-kicked a Shellder. Silver scrambled towards Pidgeot and jumped on its back; luckily Falkner seemed to have told it to obey his orders, as it didn't resist.

"Pidgeot, can you fly me up the tower? Right to the top?" he asked nervously, and Pidgeot flapped its wings, rising upwards before flying for the stairs. His mind was awhirl as he and Pidgeot swept over the battle-field – _warzone_ – and he couldn't concentrate on anything. What had just happened? Crystal, in Hoenn, saving him just when he needed to be saved? It defied belief. But then again, luck had been against him for so long now that it had to favour him sometimes. Remembering his past misadventures managed to get his mind on track again, and he remembered that he had to awaken Rayquaza. Explanations and wonderment could come later; Rayquaza was all that mattered now. Just as he remembered this, the task of reaching the creature was made more difficult as a Murkrow and a Pelipper moved up in front to block them; a second later, Aerodactyl was screeching at the foes, beating them back and raking them with claws and teeth. Pidgeot twitched and fell in mid-air, dodging through a blast of Thunderbolts and Hyper Beams that were launched like lasers from their enemies below, and Silver was only half hanging on, pleading, hoping and praying that he'd get there in one piece to stop the Legendary rampage.

Combusken leapt and darted around like a spring, dodging the many attacks of the foe and launching Double Kicks and newly-learned Flamethrowers everywhere he could as enemies swarmed all around. Ducking a Water Pulse coming from who-knows-where, rolling beneath a Flamethrower and jumping above a Magnitude, he kicked a Graveler aside and suddenly spotted his master overhead, flying on a Pidgeot. But something was wrong; a Gligar was grabbing one of Pidgeot's wings and stinging it for all he was worth, trying to Poison and floor him. Combusken tensed, then jumped as hard as he could, and his flailing hands just managed to grab Gligar's scorpion-like tail. The Ground Pokemon screeched in pain as Combusken climbed up its body, kicking it and prying its claws loose. Suddenly, both were spiralling back to the ground, and Combusken landed on top of his foe, knocking him out before continuing the fight wearily.

Zangoose was Slashing everyone who came within reach, his arms growing tired quickly as he sent enemies reeling with his powerful strikes. However, after a long period of daring evasion, he was cornered by a Qwilfish and a Golbat, both of whom were coming from different directions to finally finish him off. However, just as he prepared to make his final stand and take Qwilfish down with him, a certain Seviper landed behind him, batting Golbat away with a Poison Tail as he raked Qwilfish with his claws. The two faced each other, back to back, and nodded briefly, Zangoose smiling and Seviper rippling with pleasure as they renewed the fight as comrades-in-arms.

A short distance away from them were Breloom, Kecleon and Corphish, all fighting together as best they could. Breloom and Corphish were battering every foe with Mach Punch and Crabhammer, whilst Kecleon danced everywhere at once, tripping up, spoiling aims and making enemies easy targets with his invisibility powers. All were sweating, and nearing the end of their dwindling health, but the sight of Silver speeding overhead renewed their resolves. At least if they survived this, surely Hoenn's remaining Gyms couldn't compete.

Silver flattened himself on top of Pidgeot as a foe's Wing Attack shone overhead, and the Flying Pokemon flapped his wings harder, finally reaching the stairs and leaving the battle behind. Cool air washed over Silver's face, and he sighed with relief, knowing that the obstacles the legend spoke of had most definitely been overcome. He could see that Pidgeot was injured and tired, but he couldn't allow the creature to rest. Instead, he kept up a constant stream of thanks and encouragement, keeping the creature's resolve up as it flew further and further up the tower, getting weaker and weaker as it went along. Time seemed to have stopped as dozens of floors sped past, each identical to the one before; dusty, empty and silent, like a tomb. He could hear nothing now except for Pidgeot's laboured breathing and wing beats, and wondered whether the battle below had been won or lost yet. All of a sudden, Pidgeot moved past the point of endurance, and spiralled to the floor. It was all that it could do to maintain a controlled descent, and a single look told Silver that the creature wasn't up to more flying. Now it was him, and him alone, save for the team that was clustered on his belt.

"Rest well, Pidgeot. You were really great. You've just helped me save all of Hoenn, so be really proud of yourself," Silver said, patting Pidgeot's head before running up the stairs as fast as he could, leaving the Flying Pokemon to recover. This part of the trek was harder than he ever could have imagined; flying past steps on a fast Pokemon had taken long enough, but climbing them himself took an age. Soon he was out of breath, with a stitch tearing at his side, but he didn't give up. He was on his hands and knees after more than a dozen flights of stairs, but still he didn't give up. He focused every muscle he had into propelling himself forwards, dragging himself upwards and always finding new reserves of strength just when he felt like he could go no further. Maybe it was the thought of all that was at stake. Maybe it was knowing his Pokemon and the Warriors fought for him down below. Maybe it was because he realised that if he didn't do this, he'd never see Crystal or his family or friends ever again. Whichever it was, he managed to ascend the final, largest flight of stone steps, his hand flailing uselessly over the top step as he wondered what was going on. Where was the next step? Why was he grabbing nothing but air? He looked up and saw a room beyond, and he nearly passed out from the light-headedness of relief and stark terror combined as he laid eyes upon the mighty Rayquaza. The massive green beast was coiled up, with its mighty dragonish head resting on the top coil. Its eyes were closed, it was covered in dust and it wasn't breathing, but Silver could tell it was alive. He didn't know how, but he could just _tell_. Clambering fully into the room and coughing dust out of his lungs, he got shakily to his feet and began to wonder. What could he do to rouse the creature? Did he even want to rouse it? It looked more powerful and invincible than Groudon and Kyogre combined. It might stop them, but who was to say that it wouldn't become an even greater menace? "Everyone, come out. It's been too long," Silver said tiredly, his voice sounding odd in the quiet stillness of Rayquaza's chamber.

"Politoed," Politoed said, looking around in surprise, but then he saw Rayquaza and took up a fighting position. Typhlosion growled and did the same after nuzzling Silver, his flame-ruff bursting into life.

"Gengar," Gengar hissed, grinning at his Legendary foe as if he was an ordinary foe in any old battle. Wobbuffet was silent, and so was Noctowl as he perched nearby, gazing up at the beast with inscrutable eyes.

"It's good to see you all again. But before we get hung up on reunions, we need to wake this guy up. Apparently, he'll fly off and stop the battle outside Sootopolis. I guess you've just got to give it everything you've got," Silver suggested. Instantly, the dust was being blasted off Rayquaza by fire, water and Night Shade, and Noctowl flew in to tear at his impervious skin with talons and beak. "Come on! I know you can do harder than that! Fight as if your life depended on it! Your lives _do_ depend on it! Everyone's depending on us! We need to save lives today, or lose our own. There's no middle ground. No walking away and having a rematch. If we fail here, we're done. Finished. And so is the rest of Hoenn, and eventually the world. So hit Rayquaza with all the power at your disposal, and wake that creature up!" Silver cried. Everyone put their all into their attacks, expending a vast amount of energy and power in seconds. Silver himself even ran over, punching and kicking Rayquaza for all he was worth. Shedinja blasted the Legendary Pokemon with Shadow Balls alongside him. "Come on... come on..." Silver panted, the weakness from climbing the stairs quickly returning as he battered the nearest coil. But nothing was happening. It took a greater force than theirs to wake Rayquaza. It looked like they were finished. But then his eyes alighted on Wobbuffet, who was merely watching the whole enterprise, silent and unmoving. A plan quickly formed. "Wobbuffet, come over here! Everyone, stop attacking. Listen to me," Seconds later, he relayed his idea, and everyone was in place. Typhlosion, Gengar and Politoed had their backs to Rayquaza, with Wobbuffet standing a dozen or so metres in front of them. "Now!" Silver yelled from the sidelines, Noctowl standing with him, and the three Pokemon let loose with all the power left in their bodies. Wobbuffet glowed with a rippling, shimmering coating as the attacks hit, and the three Pokemon scattered as their own blows were bounced right back at double the power. Instead, the bounced-back attacks slammed against Rayquaza's face with incredible force. Silver fell forwards onto his knees, his mind overcome with relief as his plan worked, and he suddenly saw the creature's tail twitch. "We've done it! We won! He's awake!" Silver cried as he saw this, jumping to his feet and dancing around like a madman as his Pokemon swarmed around him.

"Wooooooooooobuffet!" Wobbuffet said knowledgeably, slapping his forehead, but their happiness was cut short as a low rumble emanated from Rayquaza. They turned to look, and the beast's eyes were slowly opening. Their pupils dilated and focused on its tormentors, and its coils slowly unwound to reveal a beast of incredible length, all crammed into the comparatively tiny chamber. They were blown off their feet as Rayquaza opened his sharp-toothed mouth and roared with anger, and with a swish of his tail half the wall was gone, allowing him to unfold completely as he hovered in place. Rayquaza bellowed again, his tail whipping around as he demonstrated his godly anger. He darted towards Silver, trying to destroy the one who had awoken him from hibernation, but Shedinja slipped in front of him and took the full force of the blow. Rayquaza was beaten backwards, blinking in surprise, but the Shed Pokemon had been reduced to a thousand brittle flakes of dust on contact, his halo disappearing in a flash of light as he did his predetermined duty all too well.

"Shedinja, no!" Silver cried, grasping at the rain of dust that used to be the Pokemon, but Rayquaza distracted his attention by summoning up a glowing orange Hyper Beam. "Typhlosion, look out!" He barged Typhlosion out of the way as the Legendary Pokemon went berserk, and the Hyper Beam slammed into him. There was a minute split-second where his life played out to him like a super-fast film, then everything went completely and utterly black.


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 41**

Silver was filled with polite perplexity as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Somehow, he was floating in the air, and in front of him Noctowl was spiralling towards the floor, trying to hold a body far too big for it. Noctowl had dived down and caught the falling person as they were blasted out of the Sky Pillar's top floor, and the two of them were rapidly descending towards the ground. Who was the person Noctowl was carrying? Why did the Owl Pokemon look so distraught? These questions would hopefully be answered when they touched the ground, so Silver followed them down silently, feeling as if he had all the time in the world. Time seemed to speed up, or even skip minutes entirely, as the next thing he knew he was looking at the body laid out on the floor outside the Sky Pillar. It looked vaguely familiar, he supposed... almost like an old friend from his early childhood, whom he hadn't seen again up until now. The Warriors were standing close by, looking shocked and devastated as they gazed down on the fallen person. The battered members of Team Magma and Aqua were nowhere to be seen; inside, he supposed, having given up after seeing that Rayquaza had flown away. And who was this person who knelt down beside the body and shook it, as if to restore it to life? Crystal! He drifted forwards and tried to hug her, to say everything was alright, the world was saved, but she ignored him as if he wasn't there. Thinking the grief must have overpowered her for now, he walked over to the Warriors, and opened his mouth to ask Lance what was going on. Nothing came out; he guessed all the dust must have affected his throat somehow. He recognised the group of Pokemon close by, and hugged each one in turn gratefully, even Corphish; however, they continued to look terrified and saddened, ignoring their own injuries as they looked at the body. Now Silver was feeling frustrated; he was here, wasn't he? The hero who had awoken Rayquaza! And he was being ignored completely! He felt like the body had something to do with it, so floated over to take a closer look.

"Please! Please don't be... Please wake up! It's me, Crystal! Remember? Remember me? Remember that time in Kanto, where we first kissed?" Crystal sobbed, and actually kissed the boy on the lips as if it was the kiss of life. Nothing happened, and now Silver was feeling very strange. He was obviously missing something; but what? Togetic was fluttering around, squeaking a funeral dirge that tugged at his heartstrings, but it was nothing compared to the sound that came next. He could tell it was an all-encompassing noise, that reached the furthest stretches of the world and that nobody could ignore. It was a song, similar to Lugia's song but with some unfamiliar, jarring twists; Rayquaza's song. Lugia's song had always made him cry, and now was no exception, and he felt tears slide down his cheeks as he looked upwards. Circling the tower were several Legendary Birds; Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos, Ho-Oh and Lugia himself. A small, pink, feline creature swirled around with them, creating a dazzling light show with its Psychic powers as it heralded a Legendary scale event that impacted on the whole world. The thunderclouds were dissipating, and the sun seemingly shrank, as Kyogre and Groudon returned to their slumbers, calmed by Rayquaza. The weather returned to normal and the song reached such a high pitch that Silver felt as though his whole body was vibrating.

"He died in the service of world peace. No man could ask for a better end," Wallace said to Crystal softly, but she was still crying hopelessly into the boy's clothes.

"He deserved a long life. He was a good person. But sometimes Fate doesn't care about what people deserve..." Steven sighed sadly, shaking his head.

"Find comfort in the fact that we've won. You can keep his memory alive because of his brave sacrifice," Lance suggested, holding Crystal's shoulder in support.

"I don't want to live without Silver..." she said hopelessly, and Silver felt more than ever that something was seriously wrong and out of place. He inspected the body closely. Yes, it was familiar, but... no, surely not. It couldn't be. He was here, wasn't he? Or was he? He couldn't interact with anyone, couldn't tell them he was alright. It was then, as he stared into his own lifeless eyes, that realisation hit him. Suddenly, Crystal was stumbling away from the body, and everyone was looking up, shocked. Silver followed their gaze and saw that Ho-Oh was descending towards the body, his feathers gleaming with all the colours in the rainbow.

"Stand back!" Lance ordered, restraining Crystal as the Legendary creature landed softly beside Silver's earthly form. Ho-Oh dipped its head and touched the corpse's forehead with his beak, and everyone present felt a great flow of incredible power flood between them. Silver suddenly felt himself get pulled towards the body, and as much as he tried to fight it or resist the incredible pain his spiritual form was being put through, he couldn't. Like a magnet, his body pulled him inside, and his eyes, his real eyes, snapped open, seeing Ho-Oh fly off in a blaze of colour. Every part of him ached. He realised now that he had been mortally wounded, perhaps even killed, by Rayquaza's Hyper Beam. He remembered everything that had happened clearly as it flashed up in his brain, but all he could focus on now was the screeching Phoenix Pokemon who was flying back wherever it had come from, leaving behind a rainbow that symbolised undying hope.

"What did it do? I thought it was going to fly off with the body..." Crystal's voice came from the side, worried and anxious, and her tear-stained face appeared above his.

"Evening. Where's the hero's welcome I expected?" he rasped, wondering what else he could do apart from joke in a situation like this. There was stunned silence for a moment. "Not pleased to... Ow!" he cried, as Crystal delivered her most powerful slap ever; beating even Wigglytuff's Doubleslap in its raw strength.

"You! How could you do this to me? To us? You were alive all this time, and you... and you...!" Crystal ranted, pounding his chest with her fists before kissing him. It was the weirdest reception he had ever gotten, but then again he had never been in a situation as strange as this before. "I thought you were... gone. I thought we'd never see each other again..." Crystal said, hugging him tightly as if unwilling to ever let him go.

"I was gone, for a while. I could see what was happening, but..." Silver said, but stopped as he couldn't adequately explain it.

"You can't have been dead. Nothing can awaken the dead. You merely must have been very badly hurt, and nearing death," Lance said matter-of-factly, before laughing with relief. "But who cares about that? We won, Silver! We can see the evidence above us; normal weather! Rayquaza calmed the beasts and Hoenn is safe again!"

"You were incredible, Silver. I can't praise you highly enough. We owe our lives to you," Steven stepped into view, smiling at Silver sincerely.

"Wasn't just me... all of us..." Silver said, suddenly feeling weak and tired as his ordeals crashed onto him again.

"But whilst we merely fought, you did the impossible and stopped Kyogre and Groudon. You will be universally admired and acclaimed for this," Wallace said his piece, also smiling in relief.

"No. Don't tell people. Just say Rayquaza awoke on his own, or something. I don't want to be an object of fame, especially for nearly getting killed," Silver replied.

"As you wish. Team Magma and Aqua have surrendered, fortunately for us; I don't know how much longer we could have held them off. All of the Pokemon were excellent," Lance said.

"Talking of Pokemon, where's your team? And Pidgeot, and Shedinja?" Crystal asked. Silver felt sick as she said the last name.

"Shedinja's... gone. Rayquaza hit him dead on with an attack that would have almost certainly killed me for real. He's the real hero today," he said in a choked voice. "Pidgeot's resting in the tower. He couldn't fly anymore, so I left him to recover whilst I kept going. My team's probably up in the tower somewhere, heading down here as fast as possible,"

"Let's wait for them. What better chance for an introduction?" Crystal said, pointing to his current team, who were waiting their turn to engulf him.

"Come on over, guys," he said tiredly, sitting up, and the Pokemon crowded around. Togetic sat on his shoulder happily and luckily Corphish refrained from using Knock Off as the others gave him their support and thanks. "So how did you get here, Crystal?"

"I saw that Hoenn was in trouble on TV. I borrowed Falkner's Pidgeot and flew over as fast as possible; only took an hour or two, at top speed. We stopped by your house, and your mum knew me, so she let me take your team. I flew towards Sootopolis City because the news reporter said the focus was there. A guy there said you'd headed south, and I followed. Eventually you came into view, and I trailed you as fast as I could,"

"And then you saved my butt. Or more accurately, Wobbuffet did,"

"Yes, but I was the orchestrator," she said, sticking out her tongue, and both remembered good times in Johto and Kanto. Times when the world was safe, and they innocently stumbled along thinking everything would work itself out. Times when they were together, and their biggest worry was finding a route to the next town and arguing over landmarks. Times when Legendary Pokemon were but a dream, and the Ho-Oh that Silver watched disappear onto the horizon was but a fanciful myth. In short, happy times.


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 42**

The rest of that incredible, overwhelming day was spent in recovery and sleep, as everyone did their best to shake off their injuries both physical and emotional before getting back to the unthinkable daily grind. Even after terrible events such as this, life went on, as Lance put it. Thus, the next day, Silver felt worse than ever as he stuck a stone into the ground outside the Sky Pillar's entrance, reading: 'Here lies Shedinja. A brave protector whose sacrifice and friendship will never be forgotten. Rest well. Silver.' Crystal, the Warriors and even Silver's team all made their mark upon the stone too, as a tribute to the courageous creature who had saved Silver's life. The ordeal was made even worse when he had to say goodbye to Crystal, who had to go back to her parents to explain everything that had happened; he didn't want to let her out of his sight after the events at the Sky Pillar. It was another wrench to see his old team get taken away by Crystal and Pidgeot as well, and he spent as much time as he could with the heroes before their departure. His current team, too, were obviously worthy of recognition for their bravery in trying to distract Team Aqua and Magma from their master, and he felt new appreciation for all of them. Almost straight after they had said their goodbyes to Shedinja outside the Sky Pillar, the Warriors and Silver had flown to Sootopolis City to check that everything and everyone was alright. Luckily, they were able to brush off the swarm of reporters and spectators easily enough, so Silver was allowed to slip away to rest in the Pokemon Centre whilst they span a story about how Rayquaza awoke when sensing their presence. He could hear their cheering and celebrations from his room as they praised the Warriors to the heavens for their bravery, but even this was insufficient to keep him awake, and he drifted off into a grateful sleep.

"We should let him rest," Lance's voice said, and Silver's eyes flickered open blearily. Faced towards the window as he was, he could see it was late morning; he had been asleep for even longer than usual, and would have slept longer if not for the hushed conversation that was going on nearby.

"I agree. He has earned it. But it seems a shame just to leave without saying goodbye," Wallace said.

"I'm sure we will see him again. Just not as Warriors," Steven continued, and Silver heard footsteps as they made to leave.

"Don't go just yet. It's rude to leave unannounced," Silver croaked, and sat up as fast as he could to show he was alright to talk to them. He didn't want to split up with them without a goodbye any more than they did.

"It seems we were talking too loudly. That voice of yours is a liability, Wallace," Lance joked.

"I was already awake," Silver lied, waving it away. "So... is this really goodbye? After disbanding the Teams and awaking Rayquaza and who knows what else?"

"I'm afraid so," Steven said solemnly. "The Warriors were but an organisation to stop the Teams. They have been stopped forever. Hoenn need not fear them anymore. The people of the world have no need for us now,"

"Besides, we shall remain in contact should a threat rise again. If ever you face an evil foe too powerful to defeat alone, call on the Warriors, and we shall be there," Wallace assured him.

"Always. This is but a temporary leave of absence for all of us," Lance said with a smile. "I think we deserve a rest,"

"You can say that again. But before you split up and go your separate ways, I'd like to say thank you. Without you, I could never have done what I did. You set everything up and fought the hardest, for a long time now, to stop the Teams. There has never been a group of better Trainers than what I see before me now," Silver said sincerely. Wallace bowed like the showman he was, smiling.

"Always at your service. We have come to a unanimous decision, and should you want a seat at our table, it shall be there for you. The Warriors may expand to four in time to come,"

"Perhaps. But if I get killed for real next time, I'm going to haunt you, OK?"

"That sounds like a reasonable argument," Lance grinned, then the Warriors each shook his hand and addressed each other. "Even when I was a member of the Elite Four, I've never fought alongside such masterful Trainers and true Pokemon Masters. If either of you ever need me, just call, and I'll be there as soon as possible,"

"That goes for me too. If ever you find need for Steven Stone, just look in some deep cavern somewhere, where rare stones are said to be found. Myself and my Pokemon are at your command forever," Steven replied.

"I have been a Coordinator, a Gym Leader and a Champion, but the greatest privilege in my life so far has been working with the Warriors. I hope you all get the good lives you deserve," Wallace said, and Silver was stunned to hear him choked up. He swept from the room and disappeared.

"I always expected you to be the emotional one," Steven joked to Lance.

"I am feeling close to crying like a baby, so I'll take my leave too. Goodbye, Steven Stone. Goodbye, Silver," Lance said, shaking Steven's hand and following Wallace out. Now it was just Steven and Silver.

"I understand that you have six Gym badges now. Your next destination is Mossdeep City, yes?" he asked.

"I guess so. It'll feel weird getting back into the whole Champion mindset,"

"It will feel strange for a while, but you'll feel normal sooner than you might expect. I just wanted to offer you a ride back to Mossdeep, and lodgings whilst you stay there. You would be more than welcome,"

"Thanks. I'm sure Metagross can fly way faster than any boat,"

"Indeed. I'll leave you to sleep now, and I'll watch your Pokemon in the garden whilst mine are being looked after," he offered, and Silver nodded gratefully as his head sank back into the pillow. Steven picked up the six Pokeballs on his bedside table and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him as Silver slipped back into the world of dreams. Later, when he awoke, he was still aching, but not nearly as much as before. He got dressed and washed slowly, testing himself out gingerly, and finding that although he was painful his body still worked properly. He felt changed inside after his encounter with Ho-Oh; often his mind switched back to the Legendary Bird of its own accord. He had dreamt of it almost constantly last night, and whenever there was silence in a room he felt as though he could hear Rayquaza's song playing in his head. He was relieved to find that his Pokemon were all recovering well, and surprised to see that Zangoose and Seviper had finally given up on their differences and were behaving normally around each other. Friendly, almost. Combusken, it turned out, had managed to learn Flamethrower, which Silver was grateful for; now he had a Fire attack that wouldn't tire him out to the point of collapse. The others seemed as fit and healthy as could be expected, and when he asked them whether they felt up to a Gym battle, they all responded happily.

"The nurse seems to think they will recover perfectly, and I trust her judgement. But I recommend that you challenge the Gym tomorrow rather than today," Steven advised.

"Of course. Today we'll just see the sights of Mossdeep, right guys?"

"Corphish," Corphish said, disappointed, and Silver actually smiled as he realised that Steven was right; things did get back to normal sooner than expected.

"How are Metagross and Aggron and the rest?" he asked, turning to Steven.

"They too will be fine. Metagross is already fit enough to fly us back, unless you wish to stay for a while longer?"

"No, Sootopolis City comes later in my Hoenn journey. Something to... er... look forward to," he said uncertainly.

"Indeed. Metagross, come out. We have need of your talents again, if you are feeling up to it," Metagross rumbled and lowered its body willingly, allowing his master and Silver to get on board.

"Thanks, Metagross. I really appreciate it," Silver said, patting Metagross' head gently, and the creature rumbled happily in response. "Everyone, come back. I don't want to leave anyone behind," he remembered, and recalled all of his Pokemon as Metagross rose slowly into the air. As they flew towards Mossdeep City, Steven's hometown, Metagross took his time, enjoying the journey over the sea rather than forcing himself to his limits. The two humans themselves happily looked down at the normal, shifting sea and the normal weather above; generally, it would be seen as a poor day, but after yesterday's disasters everyone was enjoying the grey dullness. Silver was just sad that Shedinja wasn't here to enjoy it with them, the lack of his constant presence seeming weird and unnatural. For the umpteenth time in the silence, his mind went back to Ho-Oh and its gleaming beauty. How had the Pokemon restored him? He had heard tales of when Ho-Oh had saved three Pokemon caught in a fire, and made them extraordinarily powerful, but he always dismissed these as stories. Truly it must be the most powerful Pokemon in the world.

"Here we are," Steven said, interrupting his obsession, and Silver looked down to see Metagross dipping slightly, heading towards the familiar island. Seconds later he was clambering off Metagross' hard back onto firm ground outside Steven's house. "I think you should have something to eat first. Unless I'm very much mistaken, you haven't eaten since yesterday evening, and it will do you good to have some sustenance,"

"Sure. I guess I am pretty hungry. I just didn't realise up until now," Silver said, his stomach emitting a huge groan as it remembered how starved it was. Steven led him inside with a smile, withdrawing Metagross, and fixed him up a quick meal of bacon and sausages, which felt like expensive haute cuisine to the hungry boy. "Thanks. That was delicious," he said when he finished, having only taken a minute or two to finish the meal off ravenously.

"You're too kind. Would you like me to come with you on your sight-seeing, or are you fine on your own?"

"No, no, I'm fine. You can continue your research or whatever without me being in the way,"

"Well, if you need me, I'll be right here. Enjoy your day," Steven said politely, then sat down at the computer, staring at the screen as if it had the meaning of life engraved on it.

"Bye," Silver said, and left through the front door. He was sure Steven would make interesting company around Mossdeep, and he would probably be a tourist's dream with all the knowledge he had, but he didn't want to impose on him any more than necessary. As he strolled along, doing his best not to incite his aching muscles, he released his Pokemon to accompany him, pulling out the Pokenav. "Hmm... it seems as though the only interesting thing to do here is visit the Space Centre, and we've already been there! Although I guess it might make a bit of a difference when there isn't a life-or-death battle going on at the time," Once again his Pokemon were blank, but he could even cope with that frustration today. He was just glad to be alive, and after their bravery at the Sky Pillar he was willing to even overlook a Knock Off should one come his way. They soon made their way to the Space Centre, and saw a large white boulder outside; according to the engraving on it, the rock was a symbol of luck and hope, hope that the rockets would take off and land safely. He made his own tiny notch in it to go with thousands of others, and one for Crystal too, before walking up the steps into the large building. It had been cleaned and repaired from yesterday, looking almost as good as new, and unluckily the admissions booth was up and running too. After paying several dollars more than he would have hoped for someone who helped save the Centre, he walked into the first room and examined the exhibits with interest.

"Breloom!" Breloom suddenly cried, and Silver turned to see him looking at a poster, wagging his tail.

"What's this, buddy?" he asked, amused at Breloom's enthusiasm, and he saw that the poster was covered in pictures of Pokemon that reputedly came from space. There was the Clefairy evolution line, two Rock Pokemon called Lunatone and Solrock, and in the middle a weird, apparently Legendary Pokemon known as Deoxys. Silver remembered in Meteor Falls how he had asked them all what they thought about the idea of Pokemon coming from space, and he realised that Breloom had always held onto some shred of hope for all of this time. "Sorry, Corphish. You're not on here. I think you deserve to be, though. Aargh! Stop!" he cried, and lunged for Corphish, grabbing his tail and pulling him back as he was about to grasp a delicate star piece in his crushing claws to see exactly what it was made of. "Right, you're staying with me. Everyone else, you can look around as you see fit," Silver and Corphish walked slowly around the room, looking at more interesting space debris, conspiracy theories and pictures of a Porygon2 floating in outer space and smiling. Corphish evidently wanted to take a more 'hands-on' approach, but luckily Silver kept his wits about him and stopped the Water Pokemon from building up a heavy fine. Upstairs was even more interesting than downstairs; it was the control centre that monitored the rocket whilst it launched and whilst it flew through space. He couldn't make sense of any of the instruments or machines, but they looked cool.

"Mossdeep's ideal for take-offs. It has great weather conditions that help rockets fly off safely and keep everyone aboard intact," a scientist slash tour operator said, seeing Silver's interest.

"Safety's what's most important, isn't it. No point sending a rocket to places unknown if nobody on board is alive to see it," Silver replied, and the scientist nodded.

"The rock outside, as I'm sure you know, is a talisman of luck that hasn't failed us yet. I just wish annoying tourists wouldn't scratch little marks on it to show they've been here," he said wistfully. Silver made his excuses and escaped as quickly as possible to avoid giving himself away, Corphish trailing behind and feeling as though they had just escaped from the cops after a bank robbery. As he picked up a poster of the solar system, decorated around the edge with pictures of Pokemon, for Crystal, the cashier said,

"If you're interested in Pokemon, you might want to head down to the beach. The Gym Leaders are doing a show down there with..." She was left with a puzzled expression as Silver sprinted off after paying, covering his ears to blot out any information she was about to give. However, one scrap had gotten through his defences; Gym _Leaders_. Plural. That meant there were more than one. As he strolled back through the streets, looking for a quiet place to train and relax, he wondered whether Ho-Oh restoring him had been the merciful route after all.


	43. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 43**

"Please tell me you're joking," Silver pleaded, standing outside Mossdeep City's Pokemon Gym in the early morning sunshine of a new day.

"Afraid not. Double battles or no battle at all, that's the policy here," Scott replied smugly.

"But I hate double battles. They make me think too much," Silver pouted.

"That's the idea," Scott sighed, slapping his forehead. "A Pokemon Champion needs to be versatile and quick-thinking,"

"I don't do versatile or quick-thinking this early in the morning. Anyway, tell me a bit more about these Gym Leaders,"

"They're called Liza and Tate. Twin sister and brother respectively. They use Psychic Pokemon," Scott summarised, and Silver's gloom increased tenfold.

"Psychic Pokemon? I hate Psychic Pokemon. _Hate_ them. If they have Alakazam, I may just finish off the job Rayquaza started," Silver had told Scott everything that happened the other day at the Sky Pillar, and he had been amazed to say the least, but judging by the fact that he was neither dumbstruck or on the floor fainted, he must have been taking cool lessons from Hypno. Although he was sad and disappointed when he heard about Shedinja, he accepted everything Silver told him as the truth, and when quizzed only said,

"Well, that's what friends do, isn't it?" He couldn't think of anything to say to that, so moved it onto more normal topics; who he was going to face in the Mossdeep City Gym. Now he wished he had never asked. "They don't have Alakazam. They have Xatu, Claydol, Lunatone and Solrock. Look out for those last two; they're a really powerful combo,"

"I'll remember that whilst I'm getting splattered. Claydol... I've never heard of that guy before. I just wish Umbreon was here; he'd sort out any Psychic Pokemon easily. As it stands, I've got no less than three Pokemon weak against Psychics. Breloom, Combusken and Seviper. And unless I'm really lucky, I'm going to have to use at least one of them in the battle ahead,"

"It's going to be tough. But if Emerald can do it, I'm sure you can," That was it. As Silver remembered her TV interview on beating Liza and Tate, he was filled with determination again.

"Emerald? She must've gotten really lucky to win! I'll show her how a real Master battles," he said, and walked into the Gym, followed by a knowing Scott and Hypno. The Gym was lit with a blue sort of hue, but the battle-field was illuminated well enough to see perfectly. Before he could even announce himself, Liza and Tate, the Psychic twins, jumped in front of him from the shadows.

"Hi! We're Liza and Tate. Are you here to challenge us?" they said together. They weren't speaking in unison; rather, they were taking a word or two each at a time, but it blended into a perfect sentence anyway.

"Yes, if that's OK. I hear that this is a double battle Gym, with four Pokemon each?"

"You're well clued in. Please take your place at the other end of the field," they said politely. Their speech style really was incredibly unnerving. "Don't look so scared. We're telepathic; we can read each other's minds. That's how we talk like this," they explained, although this didn't make it any easier to deal with.

"Xatu, I choose you!" Tate suddenly cried on his own, releasing a Psychic bird Pokemon resembling an ancient carving or totem-pole.

"Claydol, let's go!" Liza said in response, and a weird, many-eyed, hovering beast floated over the battle-field, looking a lot like an alien spaceship. As soon as the Pokedex called Claydol the Clay Doll Pokemon, Silver snapped it shut, wondering whether whoever programmed the Pokedex had just given up at that point.

"Claydol's a Ground and Psychic type, whereas Xatu's a Psychic and Flying type. Corphish, go! You're good against Ground types, after all. Zangoose, you can take out the bird," Silver ordered, releasing the Ruffian Pokemon and his Cat Ferret companion.

"Let's start off on the attack. Xatu, Confuse Ray! Claydol, Ancientpower!" Silver tried his best to ignore their uncanny speech and focus on their orders. Xatu's eyes glowed red as he sent out waves of Psychic power, whilst Claydol ripped up a hovering wave of debris from the battle-field floor, sending it flying towards the two.

"Zangoose, use Quick Attack to disrupt Xatu! Corphish, use Harden, then Bubblebeam!" he parried, and before Xatu could bathe either of his Pokemon in Confuse Ray, he was being battered backwards by Zangoose's super-quick charge. Meanwhile, Corphish was weathering the volley of rocks that slammed against his hardened shell, and shrugged them off to blast Claydol with a Bubblebeam.

"Claydol, Light Screen! Xatu, Calm Mind!" Xatu recovered from Zangoose's attack and closed its eyes, focusing its offensive and defensive power. Corphish's Bubblebeam exploded uselessly against a sheet of defensive energy that Claydol summoned up, protecting him from further special damage.

"Calm Mind can't be good, but at least he's not attacking. Zangoose, use Slash on Claydol! Corphish, use Knock Off on Claydol too!"

"Xatu, use Psychic on Corphish!" Corphish's leap was arrested by Psychic power, and the Water Pokemon was pounded with mental energy before being tossed away. Luckily, Xatu couldn't attack two at once, and Zangoose's claws shattered Claydol's Light Screen as he jumped and slashed the Ground Pokemon right across the face. Claydol reeled backwards as Zangoose landed close by, and Corphish leapt to his feet. "Claydol, Earthquake! Xatu, get ready for a Psychic against Zangoose!" Claydol plummeted towards the ground and slammed into it with great force, sending out rippling shockwaves.

"Both of you, jump! Corphish, hit Claydol with a Crabhammer! Zangoose, hit him with Slash!" Silver ordered; if he focused his attacks on Claydol, he'd knock the creature out quickly and hopefully wrong-foot his twin opponents. However, his strategy seemed to have been predicted. As Zangoose looked set to strike Claydol with a critical blow, Xatu's Psychic threw him back down to the ground, where he was further hammered by the aftershocks of Claydol's powerful Earthquake. Luckily, Corphish got through the barrage and slammed his glowing claw straight onto Claydol's head in a super-effective blow. Claydol was hovering dangerously low to the ground, looking uncertain and hazy as the attacks took their toll. "Zangoose, are you OK?" Zangoose nodded and got up as Corphish rallied to his side.

"Claydol, keep going! We have faith in you! Use Ancientpower against Zangoose! Xatu, Confuse Ray against Corphish!" The wave of debris hurtled towards Zangoose at the same time as Corphish was swamped in mental energy.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack Claydol! Corphish, Bubblebeam him!" Zangoose leapt up onto the rocky wave, hopping from stone to stone incredibly quickly before lancing into a tackle that hit the unprepared Claydol harder than ever. Corphish looked set to finish him off, but in his confused state he disastrously hit Zangoose instead, making him crumple to the floor, stunned, in front of Xatu.

"Xatu, use Psychic to hurl Zangoose into Corphish! Claydol, prepare for an Earthquake!" Zangoose was helpless to resist as Xatu slammed him bodily into Corphish, and the tangled creatures were further battered by a brace of deadly shockwaves from Claydol.

"Corphish," Corphish said hazily, rising upwards and clutching his head painfully.

"Zangoose," Zangoose agreed, stretching himself and clicking his neck back in place as he got up as well.

"This is our chance to fight back! Zangoose, Quick Attack Claydol! Corphish, get ready for a Bubblebeam!" Silver said, but apparently his tactic had been worked out again by the twins.

"Claydol, protect Xatu with Light Screen!" Zangoose tackled Claydol from the side, knocking him in front of Xatu, but before Corphish could blast the Ground type back into his ally, Xatu was being shielded by a Light Screen, which was what Claydol slammed into instead. "Xatu, use Calm Mind!" Xatu looked as though he was meditating as the Bubblebeam pinned Claydol to the Light Screen less than a yard in front of him.

"Zangoose, duck behind the Light Screen and hit Xatu with a Slash!" Zangoose darted around the edge of the Light Screen and sent Xatu flying backwards with the powerful, raking uppercut that was his specialty, but yet again Silver was outfoxed by Tate and Liza.

"Let the Light Screen fade!" The Light Screen disappeared, and Claydol was blasted backwards into Zangoose instead. Corphish stopped his Bubblebeam, but not before Zangoose glared daggers at him, getting up and shaking himself down as Claydol fainted beside him. "Claydol, return. You were really good. Xatu, keep going!" Silver was stunned that they weren't sending out a replacement, but remembered Scott's words; Solrock and Lunatone worked exceptionally well together, and Liza and Tate weren't about to split them up and make them vulnerable.

"Keep going, guys. Xatu can't stay awake forever. A couple more attacks and he'll be in sleepy-bye land," Silver encouraged, although he could see Zangoose was particularly hurt and tired, and Corphish wasn't at peak strength himself. "Corphish, attack with Crabhammer! Zangoose, Swords Dance!" Liza and Tate smiled as Corphish charged in, covering the spinning Zangoose and providing a distraction.

"Xatu, use Psychic on Zangoose to disrupt his Swords Dance!" Xatu was smacked right on the head with a powerful Crabhammer, but his Calm Mind allowed him to keep his focus, and Zangoose was assailed by more pulses of Psychic energy, which went one step further than expected and knocked him out for the count.

"Zangoose, return. You did well against Claydol, but I guess you and Corphish aren't the best team. Kecleon, go!" Kecleon appeared on the battle-field, and he and Corphish smiled at each other, being on uncommonly good terms. "Hey... wait a minute... I've got an idea! Corphish, use Knock Off on Kecleon!" Both Pokemon looked at him as if he was mad. "Quickly! It's a plan, I haven't gone completely insane. Yet," he said impatiently , and Corphish reluctantly tapped Kecleon on the head with his claw. Kecleon's skin turned pitch black as he turned into the Dark type. "OK, Kecleon, use Thief on Xatu!" Kecleon became invisible and pattered over to Xatu, pulling a juicy Sitrus Berry from under his wing as well as dealing a kick to Xatu's back seemingly for fun, which knocked the Flying Pokemon over. "Give the berry to Corphish to make him feel a little stronger," Silver cried as fast as he could, and Kecleon tossed the berry to Corphish, who caught it in his mouth and chomped it up. As he swallowed it, he shook off his injuries and clashed his pincers, looking ready for battle again as Kecleon returned to his side. "Yes! Now that's teamwork!" Silver cheered, punching the air.

"You'll see true teamwork later on, if of course you manage to defeat Xatu. Xatu, use Psychic on Corphish!" Xatu's eyes glowed blue as he prepared to seize Corphish in mental energy and end his threat forever.

"Kecleon, dodge in front of Corphish!" Silver countered, and Kecleon absorbed the attack completely, rendering it useless. "Now, Faint Attack! Corphish, Knock Off!"

"Xatu, fly upwards to dodge!" Liza and Tate ordered, but although he got out of Corphish's range, Kecleon appeared on his back and started pummelling him as hard as he could, weighing him down and sending him crashing to the floor at Corphish's feet. The Water Pokemon ended it admirably by whacking the bird Pokemon over the head with a sense of satisfied finality. "Xatu, return. You defeated Zangoose, and revealed Kecleon's unexpected powers. Now, Silver, prepare for teamwork the likes of which you will never see anywhere else. Lunatone, Solrock, go!" Two familiar Rock Pokemon Silver recognised from the poster at the Space Centre hovered in place, looking strangely similar yet completely different at the same time.

"Get ready, guys. We've still got a fight on our hands," he warned, and his two Pokemon stood ready.

"Lunatone, Light Screen! Solrock, use Sunny Day!" A shimmering screen protected the two tightly-clustered Rock Pokemon at the same time as a shining orb brightened up the field, making everything warmer. Unfortunately, this weakened Corphish as well as strengthening any Fire attacks his foes may have.

"Kecleon, use Faint Attack on Solrock! Corphish, smash the Light Screen with Vicegrip, then keep it going!" Kecleon disappeared as Corphish leapt up, holding his claw in front of his and using it to shatter the Light Screen in one blow. Kecleon appeared behind Solrock and double-kicked his back, sending him careening forwards into Corphish's grip.

"Lunatone, use Psychic on Corphish! Solrock, use Solarbeam on Kecleon!" the twins parried neatly, and sheer Psychic energy pried Corphish's claws loose from Solrock, allowing the Rock Pokemon to quickly summon the energy from Sunny Day and blast Kecleon with a beam of energy. Corphish was then slammed down on top of him by Lunatone's Psychic as his skin turned a dark, leafy green.

"Corphish, Bubblebeam Solrock! Kecleon, use Thief against him!"

"Lunatone, Light Screen! Solrock, Flamethrower Kecleon!" Corphish's Bubblebeam was again stopped short from his target as Lunatone raised a transparent wall, whilst Kecleon, now being a Grass type, was seared by a Sunny Day-powered Flamethrower from his hovering enemy. His skin turned deep red as he got up, groaning.

"Kecleon, Faint Attack! Pin Solrock up against Light Screen! Corphish, get ready to smash it with Vicegrip again!" The two Pokemon pulled off the same move as before, with Solrock once again being battered by a teleporting attack from Kecleon as Corphish got ready to destroy their protection with a single blow.

"Lunatone, use Psychic on Kecleon! Wait for it, Solrock," Kecleon was thrown off Solrock helplessly as he was seized with Psychic power, and as Corphish shattered the Light Screen, they continued, "Now! Solarbeam!" Corphish was blasted by a point blank Solarbeam from his target, and was pushed right back to the floor, slamming into it with force that knocked him out on contact.

"Corphish, return. You were fantastic. Breloom, I choose you!" He had thought long and hard, and reasoned that Breloom would at least have a type advantage, as well as a weakness. "Kecleon, do you think you can take another light hit from Breloom?" Kecleon groaned, but nodded as well, hobbling over to his grassy ally. "Breloom, hit Kecleon with an Iron Tail. But not too hard, OK?" Breloom lightly cuffed Kecleon with his glowing tail, and the creature's skin shone with a metallic sheen as it turned silver. "Breloom, use Iron Tail on Lunatone! Kecleon, use Hidden Power on Solrock!" Breloom leapt upwards, preparing for a much harder blow this time, whilst Kecleon scissored his arms outwards and sent out a sharp silvery boomerang of energy.

"Lunatone, use Hypnosis on Kecleon! Solrock, Flamethrower on Breloom!" The two Rock types switched their positions, and suddenly Breloom was heading straight into a jet of fire which burned and sent him falling limply backwards. He wasn't defeated, but he was hurt nonetheless. Lunatone, meanwhile, soothed Kecleon's mind with hypnotic waves after suffering his super-effective Steel Hidden Power, and the Colour Swap Pokemon collapsed backwards, asleep. "Solrock, use Flamethrower on Kecleon! Lunatone, Psychic on Breloom!" Silver knew that this was where Liza and Tate were going for the jugular.

"Breloom, try and fight it off with Mega Drain! Kecleon... Kecleon, no! Wake up!" he cried, but the Pokemon was already being bathed in fire, and didn't wake up for long enough to faint again. "Return. You were excellent against Xatu, but I guess they used your ability against you. Now... oh no. Breloom, you're my last hope! I didn't realise," he said to himself worriedly. His final Pokemon was against two super-effective foes. Things were beyond bad and bordering on impossible. Breloom himself was currently screwing up his face, keeping Lunatone's Psychic at bay with crackling tendrils of sapping green energy.

"Lunatone, keep up that Psychic! Solrock... huh? As it's just gone out, you may as well replace Sunny Day," Lunatone struggled against Breloom as Solrock released another fiery orb, powering up both his Solarbeam and his Flamethrower.

"Breloom, dodge away and use Mach Punch on Solrock!" Breloom rolled away from the concentrated Psychic attack, luckily evading as it spread outwards and lancing into a powerful punch that knocked Solrock backwards in the air.

"Lunatone, use Light Screen! Solrock, let rip with as many Flamethrowers as you can!"

"Breloom, keep up the dodges! Left... left! Now right! Up! That's the way!" Silver cried as Breloom slipped away from the fire by a hairsbreadth, seemingly pulling off more impressive dodges as the barrage went on.

"Channel Sunny Day's power! Don't tire yourself out! Lunatone, use Calm Mind!" Lunatone focused its power as Solrock sucked up energy from the small sun. Eventually, Silver knew, Breloom would get hit. But Lunatone had closed his eyes and left himself exposed. If he was going to strike back, the time was now.

"Breloom, jump as hard as you can and use Iron Tail on Lunatone!" he ordered, and Breloom hurtled upwards, dodging another fire stream as he somersaulted, bringing his glowing tail down to shatter the Light Screen and slam Lunatone hard.

"Solrock, Flamethrower! Lunatone, keep going with Calm Mind for just a little bit longer!" the twins encouraged.

"Breloom, grab Lunatone and use Mega Drain! Keep him between you and Solrock!" Silver ordered, and Breloom sucked his foe's health out as the Flamethrower burst up against the rocky creature. Luckily, Breloom was doing exactly what Silver hoped, and was using Lunatone like a shield to protect him from the Flamethrower.

"Solrock, let up on the Flamethrower, but get ready for another at a moment's notice. Lunatone, use Psychic to pry Breloom off!"

"Breloom, throw yourself backwards!" Silver cried quickly, and Brleoom let go of his opponent, free-falling back to the floor as Lunatone's Psychic once again came too close for comfort.

"Now's the time for the Flamethrower again! Lunatone, Psychic!" Now came what Silver had dreaded; the double whammy. Could Breloom avoid both, and still strike back? There was only one way to find out.

"Breloom, Mach Punch Solrock!" he said, and Breloom dodged away from the combination attack; unluckily for him, however, it was more of a combination than he could have dreamed. Lunatone used Psychic to manipulate the flames, and they changed direction, slamming into Breloom just as the Grass Pokemon dealt another punch to Solrock's hard face. Breloom splayed backwards on the floor, blackened and breathing heavily as he tried to get his breath back.

"Lunatone, Solrock, show us your beautiful dual Psychic!" Both Lunatone's and Solrock's eyes glowed blue as they mingled their mental energy, sending out a sweeping wave of power. Drawing on both of their pooled resources, it was so strong that there was no question in Silver's mind that it would knock Breloom out in one hit.

"This is it, Breloom. Time to show them what we can do. Show me a Sky Uppercut!" Silver gambled, and he breathed again as Breloom didn't look in the slightest bit perturbed. Leaping above the Psychic energy, he hurtled up towards Solrock, bringing his fist upwards and building up as much power as he could on the way. Unfortunately for him, the dual Psychic was the specialty of Lunatone and Solrock when they belonged to Tate and Liza. The wave of energy effortlessly changed course and swamped Breloom in a multicoloured haze. But Breloom was not to be stopped. He pressed forwards through the rippling layers of Psychic energy, tearing through the tissue-thin walls of mental power that threatened to overcome him at a moment's notice. His fist looked for a moment like it was going to be halted by the sheer Psychic power that flooded all around him, but he forced it upwards with all of his strength, battering the unsuspecting Solrock with all the strength left in his sapped limbs. The disc-like Pokemon hurtled upwards, following the arc of Breloom's punch, and Lunatone reeled as the pooled power surged out of control. The Rock Pokemon was left hovering unsteadily as the Psychic feedback snapped into him, his Solrock companion having fainted from the blow. "Now Iron Tail!" Silver cried, his voice sounding too high-pitched for his liking, a testament to his nerves. Breloom landed beside Solrock's flat form, and swept his tail around, battering Solrock upwards before the twins could return him. The two Rock Pokemon collided with a crunch, and both fell to the ground, resembling nothing more than stone statues as they became immobile.

"Lunatone, Solrock, return. Your teamwork was as beautiful as ever, but Silver managed to use it against us. Silver, take the Mindbadge. Your courageous Breloom, and Kecleon and Corphish's teamwork, was delightful to behold. Please accept it with our good wishes,"

"Thanks, guys. Your teamwork was way better than mine; Breloom just showed he could beat two enemies when he wants to. Brleoom, you were amazing! Oh. Return," he said in embarrassment, seeing that Breloom had fainted from the exertion. Pinning the Mindbadge alongside his others proudly, he turned to Scott and Hypno, who had come to congratulate him. "You said it couldn't be done, but Breloom showed you, with a type disadvantage to boot!"

"I didn't say it couldn't be done. Emerald did it, didn't she?" Scott said, deliberately trying to needle his friend.

"I bet Emerald didn't get such a fulfilling battle. She would have just insulted Tate and Liza and made them cry, so they gave up," Silver said as they turned to leave. "Thanks again," he called back to the twins, who were evidently speaking mentally with each other, as they only managed a half-wave each. "Well, we've overcome seven of Hoenn's Gyms. Seems silly to stop now, doesn't it?"

"I guess so. But go easy on the last Gym, OK? A Pokemon Master has to show mercy and compassion as well, after all,"


	44. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 44**

Following his battle with Liza and Tate, Silver said his goodbyes and thank-yous to Steven before setting off on a ferry to Sootopolis City with Scott. It wasn't a place he was looking forward to visiting again, but his eighth and final Gym badge awaited him there, so he had no choice. For the rest of that day, he and the Pokemon trained almost constantly; even on the deck of the ferry, they were doing laps and stretches. As there was nothing to do in Sootopolis apart from a forbidden place known as the Cave of Origin, he decided to challenge the Gym the very next day; he and his team were feeling so pumped up from their victory over the Mossdeep City Gym that he thought it was pointless to waste time anyway. Scott travelled with them because it seemed silly to split up then meet again in Sootopolis less than a day later, and provided Silver with some welcome, friendly company, as well as some tips on beating the final Gym Leader.

"His name's Juan. He used to be the Champion, and get this: he was Wallace's mentor,"

"He mentored Wallace?! Juan must be one heck of a Trainer, then. It looks like we'll have our work cut out for us, guys,"

"Combusken," Combusken said peacefully, as if intimating that they could overcome any obstacle is they set their mind to it.

"That's the spirit. Anyway, what types does Juan train?"

"Water types, like Wallace. So Breloom will have the overriding advantage here,"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried, wagging his tail excitedly.

"Breloom was so fantastic against Tate and Liza, I wouldn't be surprised if he took all of Juan's Pokemon out by himself. Oh look, there's the Pokemon Centre," Silver said in a relaxed voice, and the two of them spent the rest of the day booking in, restocking their supplies, training and talking about old times. It was when they started talking about his battle with Sabrina that they realised it was getting late, so they hastily made their way to their adjoining rooms, the Pokemon following obediently. "Return, everyone. Get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we're getting our last Gym badge! Next stop: the Pokemon League!" Silver said, but he turned to see that Combusken and Breloom were looking at him blankly, Zangoose and Seviper were mock-duelling with claw and tail respectively, Kecleon was nowhere to be seen and Corphish was splayed out, asleep.

"Kecleon!" Kecleon sniggered, reappearing on top of his head and pulling off his headband. Silver slapped his forehead and pointed the Pokeball up at his head, recalling Kecleon as he sucked all the others back into their comfortable Pokeballs.

"Combusken, you might have to sit this one out, as you're the only one with a weakness. I haven't used you in battle for ages... not since our third battle with Gabby and Ty, in fact. Hopefully you'll see some action in the Pokemon League,"

"Combusken," Combusken replied, nodding solidly, and Silver smiled as he pooled the Pokeballs on his bedside table. Changing into his pyjamas, he wondered about Juan and the battle tomorrow. At least he knew to expect a normal, straightforward battle, even if it was difficult. Added to the fact that Breloom had an advantage over most Water Pokemon, he felt reasonably confident, which now that he thought about it was something he hadn't felt in a long time. That night, he dreamed about Ho-Oh as usual, but at breakfast the next morning he didn't allow the Legendary Bird to dominate his thoughts.

"You seem uncommonly focused today," Scott remarked over a piece of toast.

"I need to be; this is my last Gym battle ever, right? And I need to win the badge to qualify for the Hoenn League. In this battle, it'll just be a test of skill; no surprises, no double battles, no family connections. Me against him," Silver replied.

"I'm sure you can do it. There are people who say Juan's the greatest Trainer in Hoenn, but personally I think his student Wallace outstripped him by a reasonable margin. If you concentrate and do your best, you have a real chance,"

"If he is better than Wallace, I don't stand a chance. Anyway, guys, are you ready?" he turned to his Pokemon, and, to his surprise, even Corphish seemed compliant today, joining in with the others as they showed their excitement and enthusiasm. "Great! Then let's go!" The mismatched group, seven Pokemon and two humans, made their way to the Gym, Silver psyching himself up and not even concentrating on the beautiful architecture and odd layout of the city itself. Being in some sort of volcanic crater, it was accessible only by a single cave, and thus the ferry there had been more expensive than Silver would have liked or expected. The Gym itself was far different to any Silver had experienced in Hoenn or beyond; it was surrounded by a sparkling array of fountains and thin streams of water that sprayed from the ground playfully. "Wow. I've got a feeling this guy taught Wallace how to be a showman as well," Silver said dubiously as they walked beneath a sparkling watery arch and into the Gym itself. The battle-field was luckily normal rather than partly water, which was what Silver had expected. Standing there waiting was a tall, dashing man, dressed in dark blue and white clothes. He had a thin, neatly groomed moustache and greying, jet black hair.

"Good morning, challenger. My name is Juan. Who might I have the honour of meeting?" Juan bowed as Silver approached flashing him a pearly smile.

"Hi. I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town. Can I battle you for a Rainbadge, please?"

"Of course, of course! We will dance with five Pokemon each. Prepare to be shown a dazzling, sculptured display of watery illusion! Luvdisc, I choose you!" A Pokemon shaped like a flat heart appeared, and Silver did a double-take, flipping out the Pokedex to confirm what he was seeing. Apparently Luvdisc was the Rendezvous Pokemon, and there was a custom long ago of giving them as gifts of love. He couldn't imagine Crystal's face if he handed her one of these things, and he didn't really want to either.

"Let's start off with Seviper!" he released the snake-like creature, which scrunched itself up and hissed contemptuously at his foe. "Don't underestimate him, Seviper. He might be really vicious," Silver said, but without conviction.

"Luvdisc, Sweet Kiss!" A glowing pink heart floated from Luvdisc's lips, floating towards Seviper ominously.

"Seviper, Glare!" Seviper reared up and stared into Luvdisc's eyes, Paralysing him from deep within. However, the heart suddenly struck the Fang Snake right on the lips, and exploded into a thousand tiny hearts that floated to the floor and disappeared as Seviper's eyes grew unfocused. He suddenly looked uncertain, as if unsure whether he was facing a friend or a foe. Luvdisc, meanwhile, was looking pained and was struggling to move a muscle as the Glare affected its body.

"Luvdisc, throw off that Paralysis and use Attract!" Juan ordered, and Luvdisc managed to focus just enough to hit Seviper with a concentrated blast of cuteness.

"Please be a boy, please be a boy..." Silver muttered under his breath, crossing his fingers, but Seviper was looking over at Luvdisc soppily, completely besotted as well as confused. "Oh no! Seviper, try and use Crunch!" he commanded helplessly, but his heart lifted as Seviper lunged forwards, clashing his jaws together on the prey tightly. Unfortunately, his prey was his own tail, and it took him a few seconds to process this before hissing in pain and writhing around, battering himself further.

"Luvdisc, you have played your part to perfection, but now we must use more brutal methods. Water Pulse!" Luvdisc spat out a jet of throbbing water, striking Seviper directly in the face and sending him flying. He landed at Silver's feet and struggled to recuperate himself, wriggling and jerking painfully.

"Seviper, are you OK? That Water Pulse must have cleared your head, so hit Luvdisc with a Poison Tail!" Apparently, however, the Water Pulse had made Seviper more confused than ever, and he attacked himself again as he swept his glowing tail around haphazardly. Luvdisc merely watched, squeaking happily to itself as its opponent wreaked havoc upon himself.

"Water Pulse again! Seviper has no sense of style or elegance, and must be removed immediately," Juan said, waving his hand at Seviper imperiously. However, on hearing this insult, Seviper stopped in his tracks and hissed angrily. No style? No elegance? Him, the winner of a Contest and proud owner of a ribbon? The shiny Seviper whom everyone loved? It was unthinkable. What was more, it was untrue! He'd show that annoying little creature what elegance really was. Seviper hissed and looked to Silver for guidance as he dodged the Water Pulse of his own accord, ready for the most brutal action possible.

"Now we're talking! Use Crunch, then Wrap!" Seviper launched himself forwards, slipping away from another jet of Water Pulse before fixing his sharp teeth around Luvdisc's head. Luvdisc squealed in pain, and was held in the grip of Paralysis as Seviper entwined him in his coils, trying to crush him as hard as he could.

"Luvdisc, no! Use Flail!" Luvdisc rippled within Seviper's coils, thrashing around as hard as he could, and he actually managed to throw his attacker off, breathing hard. "Now, Sweet Kiss!"

"Seviper, dodge it! Then use Poison Tail!" Seviper ducked at the last moment, and the Sweet Kiss exploded into a thousand miniature hearts above him as he swung his tail around and struck Luvdisc a vicious blow across the cheek. Luvdisc struggled to rise again, but managed it, looking hurt and tired.

"Luvdisc, hit him with your finest Water Pulse!"

"Seviper, hit him with _your_ finest Poison Tail," Silver countered, and Seviper charged straight towards Luvdisc, parting his water jet with his glowing tail before slamming it brutally into Luvdisc. The creature's eyes rolled and it lay helplessly on the ground, defeated. "Great job, Seviper. You really pulled through,"

"Seviper!" Seviper hissed delightedly, watching Luvdisc get pulled back into her Pokeball.

"Seviper will be beaten for sure by my next Pokemon. Whiscash, go!" A flabby catfish-like Pokemon with a huge mouth flopped onto the battle-field, looking completely oblivious to everything. The Pokedex said it was a dual Water and Ground type, which indeed gave it an advantage over Seviper. "Whiscash, Amnesia!" Whiscash looked as vacant as a Slowpoke as he implemented the attack, boosting his special defences to huge levels by merely looking blank.

"Seviper, use the old Crunch and Wrap combo!" Silver countered, and Seviper snapped up Whiscash's tail, wrapping the rest of his body around the catfish to try and squeeze him into submission. Whiscash's eyes bulged, but otherwise nothing about his expression changed.

"Whiscash, keep using Amnesia!" Juan said, and again nothing happened as Seviper did his best to defeat Whiscash. "That should be enough to protect you from future threats. Use Earthquake to dislodge Seviper!" Whiscash flipped himself upwards, Seviper still gripping on, and plummeted towards the floor at frightening speed.

"Seviper, let go of him! Then use Poison Tail to disrupt his fall!" Silver ordered, and Seviper slipped himself loose of Whiscash's body, hitting him right between the eyes with a Poison Tail as they fell in an attempt to knock him off-balance. Unfortunately, however, it seemed as though Amnesia had done its job after all, as Whiscash didn't even blink, slamming into the ground and sending Seviper flying with a round of vicious shockwaves. "Are you OK?" Seviper hissed and got back up, ready to fight on. "Use Glare!"

"Whiscash, Water Pulse, quickly!" Seviper's intricate mental assault was stopped cold as another jet of water hit him squarely in the face, knocking him for six. "Finish him off with Earthquake!"

"Seviper, jump!" Silver ordered, but saw that Water Pulse had confused Seviper again; the snake Pokemon swayed uncertainly on the spot before being hammered by a brace of deadly shockwaves that emanated from Whiscash's fall. The super-effective attack finally managed to knock the serpent unconscious, and Silver recalled him reluctantly. "You did well, Seviper. You beat Luvdisc easily. Whiscash is one tough cookie, but he has a double weakness to you, Breloom!" Silver unleashed his trump card to take out the catfish, but Whiscash didn't look in the least bit bothered about being attacked by a four-times-effective move.

"Whiscash, use Amnesia again!"

"Oh no you don't! Amnesia may protect you from special attacks, but not physical ones! Breloom, use Mach Punch to stop him!" Breloom sped forwards and pounded the flat face of Whiscash with a powerful fist, and although Whiscash's expression didn't change, Silver could tell that the attack must have done some damage.

"Whiscash, hit him with an Earthquake!" Juan parried quickly, and Whiscash flipped up again.

"Just what I expected. Sky Uppercut, Breloom!" Breloom bounded upwards and caught Whiscash in mid-jump, delivering a bone-shaking punch to his lower jaw that completely ruined his attack and sent him flying to boot. Whiscash landed heavily on his back, but flipped over almost straight away. Silver thought his eyes looked slightly less focused, but it was hard to tell.

"Whiscash, Water Pulse!" Juan commanded desperately, but Silver had even prepared for that.

"Mega Drain him, Breloom! And make it a good one!" Breloom unleashed a blast of crackling green energy that easily beat a path through the Water Pulse, zapping Whiscash and lighting him up with flashing green power. Whiscash's eyes widened and his whiskers stood on end as the incredibly effective attack sucked away his remaining health none-too-gently. When Breloom finally let it rest, Whiscash was smoking slightly, and his mouth was hanging open limply, no longer a smile.

"Whiscash, return. Sealeo, come out for a type advantage!" The dual Ice and Water type Pokemon took Whiscash's place, a big blubbery seal-type creature completely at odds with the lithe, nimble Breloom.

"Ice may be good against your Grass characteristics, but your Fighting moves will make up for that. Start off with Mach Punch!" Breloom charged forwards, striking Sealeo as hard as he could before flipping backwards out of retaliatory range.

"Sealeo, Aurora Beam!" Juan countered, and Sealeo opened his mouth to disgorge a thin, icy beam of power.

"Breloom, dodge it! Sealeo's not built for speed or agility, so we'll have to use that to beat him, OK?" Breloom nodded and rolled away from the Aurora Beam, before straightening up and unfurling again, ready to use tail, fists or even his head against his large opponent. "Now use Iron Tail!" The mushroom Pokemon darted into the air, then somersaulted back down, slamming his glowing tail down onto Sealeo's back before retreating again. "Good work, buddy," Silver said, but privately he wondered whether Breloom's attacks had even been felt by the fat Sealeo.

"Sealeo, Body Slam!" Sealeo bounced upwards and hurtled towards Breloom, blocking out the light as he plummeted into a heavy, crushing attack.

"Breloom, use Sky Uppercut, quickly!" Breloom launched himself upwards on strong legs, taking Sealeo under the chin with a hugely powerful blow that sent the Ball Roll Pokemon into an uncontrolled descent. The creature bounced as it landed, and took a moment to reclaim its bearings. "Now, Iron Tail!"

"Sealeo, Body Slam again!" Breloom's glowing tail and Sealeo's rippling belly met in mid-air, and neither won out, with both Pokemon landing safely and glaring at each other. "Now Aurora Beam!" This time Breloom was caught unawares, blasted backwards by the full-on beam of incredible coldness that threatened to chill him to the bone. Luckily, he managed to retain consciousness after the beam died out, and got back to his feet ready for more. "That's proof that Breloom isn't invincible! Try another Body Slam, but be wary of Sky Uppercut!" Sealeo bounced upwards again, but curled into a ball to present no weak surfaces for Breloom to attack.

"Breloom, dodge it until I can think up a plan," Silver said, thinking hard, and Breloom ducked this way and that as Sealeo's bouncing form came closer and closer each time. "Try a Mega Drain!" Breloom stopped in place and zapped Sealeo with green energy bolts as the Ice Pokemon tumbled towards him. For a moment, it looked as if a miracle would occur, and Sealeo would be stopped or even knocked out by the beams. Then reality kicked in, and Sealeo powered through them, ignoring their bite as best he could to slam heavily onto his foe. "Breloom, are you OK?" Silver asked anxiously as Sealeo rolled off to assess the damage.

"Breloom," Breloom groaned, but managed to get up, ready to give and receive more punishment.

"Sealeo, Aurora Beam to end it!" Sealeo blasted another pure icy beam towards Breloom, who stood nervously, waiting for orders.

"Breloom, dodge it with Mach Punch!" Juan looked wrong-footed as Silver went for the unexpected, and Sealeo's Aurora Beam sailed through thin air as Breloom slipped away, to charge in for another super-effective pounding that the blubbery Pokemon was far too slow to avoid or counter.

"Sealeo, stand strong. Your foe is weakening, I can sense it. Use Water Pulse to Confuse him!" Juan commanded, and Sealeo spat a thick jet of water towards the waiting Breloom.

"Breloom, counter it with Mega Drain! You'll have the advantage here!" Silver parried, and Breloom's Mega Drain stopped the Water Pulse in its tracks, actually forcing it steadily back towards Sealeo.

"Just what I expected. Now, Aurora Beam!" Juan said triumphantly, and Sealeo switched tactics, this time getting the advantage over his opponent as the Ice attack pushed back the Grass one.

"Breloom, charge him dead-on with Sky Uppercut!" Silver said, and Breloom stopped his energy barrage, barrelling straight into the beam of ice and using every ounce of his stamina to power quickly through it. Sooner than everyone expected, he reached Sealeo, and the Ice Pokemon was sent hurtling up into the air by another incredibly powerful punch. As he hit the floor and bounced up again, Breloom hit him with another Sky Uppercut, and another, until both Pokemon were splayed out and panting. However, Sealeo had exhausted all of his internal reserves, and fainted helplessly as Breloom sprawled beside him, catching his breath.

"Sealeo, return. Crawdaunt, I choose you! Breloom is all but helpless now, and I know you have the power to stop him!" Juan released Crawdaunt, the Rogue Pokemon, who was apparently the evolved form of Corphish and a dual Water and Dark type.

"Is he crazy? You have a double type advantage now!" Silver said, shaking his head in wonderment, but Breloom was concentrating on merely staying awake as he faced his crab-like foe. Silver could see he was flagging, so set out to make the shortest work possible of Crawdaunt. "Use Sky Uppercut!"

"Crawdaunt, Crabhammer!" Juan said in response, and fist and glowing claw collided brutally. Both Pokemon were thrown backwards, hurt, but not too badly. Usually Breloom could have overcome Crawdaunt's Crabhammer easily, and the fact that he didn't this time made Silver uneasy. "Now Leer!" Crawdaunt rose up in front of Breloom, fixing him with an intimidating gaze. As before, normally it wouldn't have worked, but Breloom was just too tired and succumbed, stumbling backwards fearfully. "Crabhammer again!"

"Breloom, Mega Drain!" Silver said in response, but Breloom only managed a feeble sparkle of green energy before the Crabhammer hit home, knocking him unconscious. "Breloom! Geez, I'm sorry... I didn't realise just how tired you were. I guess anybody would be after taking on three opponents in a row. Great job, anyway. Have a nice rest. Let's see... Corphish, I choose you!" Silver said on a whim, and the two Water Pokemon squared off.

"You would be foolish enough to engage my Pokemon with its pre-evolved form? You deserve to lose, and thus shall you," Juan said contemptuously.

"It's not whether it's evolved or not that makes the difference. It's the strength of the individual, and the bond he shares with his Trainer. I know you can do it, Corphish!"

"Corphish!" Corphish responded, waving his claws.

"Set them straight, Crawdaunt. Crabhammer!" Crawdaunt scuttled towards Corphish, raising his huge, glowing claw and swinging it like a hefty mace.

"Corphish, use Crabhammer too! Don't give in!" Silver encouraged, and Corphish's Crabhammer slammed into Crawdaunt's. Soon, there was a test of strength going on; the two Pokemon were wrestling back and forth, pushing their Crabhammers against each other. "Corphish, no! He's physically stronger than you! Don't let him draw you into his type of fight!" Silver cried, but he was struck dumb as Corphish exerted every bit of power he possessed, throwing Crawdaunt's claw out of the way and slamming his own into the stunned enemy's face. "Wow. Er... sorry I underestimated you," Silver said as Crawdaunt got to his feet, looking abashed.

"Corphish," Corphish replied, as if saying he reluctantly accepted his apology, but showed him what was what at the same time.

"Crawdaunt, Taunt!" Crawdaunt sneered at his foe and beckoned with his claw as if encouraging Corphish to bring it. Silver could see that Corphish was seeing red, and said,

"That's the biggest mistake you'll ever make. Corphish, Knock Off!" Corphish darted forwards and whacked Crawdaunt repeatedly around the head, making the creature recoil in pain.

"Crawdaunt, Water Pulse!" Juan said, and Corphish was blasted away as a jet of water sprayed from Crawdaunt's claw.

"Counter it with Bubblebeam!" Silver ordered, and as Corphish regained his footing, he started beating back the water stream with his own volley of bubbles. "Dodge and use Vicegrip!" Corphish jumped to the side, avoiding the Water Pulse, and leapt onto Crawdaunt's back, grabbing his horned crest tightly in his pincers. Crawdaunt was caught completely unawares by the blow, and staggered around, waving his claws ineffectually as Corphish hung on for grim death.

"Crawdaunt, blast him off your back with Water Pulse!" Crawdaunt stopped in his tracks, angled his claw blindly behind him and sprayed out another water jet, striking Corphish and gradually pushing him off. Silver was caught with momentary indecision; should he make Corphish stay there and continue Vicegrip, or should he make Corphish let go and avoid too much damage? The decision, it seemed, was already made, as Corphish fastened both claws around Crawdaunt's crest, unwilling to give in. "Keep it up! He'll be dislodged eventually!"

"Corphish, Knock Off!" Silver said, and Corphish let go with one of his claws, raising it high so everyone could see it before bringing it sharply down on the back of Crawdaunt's head. Crawdaunt crumpled for a moment, the Water Pulse faltering as he saw stars. "Corphish, you can get off there now. Hit him with Bubblebeam!" Corphish jumped off Crawdaunt's back, blasting him with bubbles on the way, but Crawdaunt still managed to rise to his feet.

"Crawdaunt, use Leer!" Crawdaunt fixed Corphish with his terrible gaze, but Corphish was so angry from his Taunt that he completely ignored it.

"Corphish, finish him with Crabhammer!"

"You too, Crawdaunt!" The two glowing claws clashed on the battle-field once again as the crab-like creatures fought back and forth, Crawdaunt swinging with all the power at his disposal and Corphish ducking, dodging and parrying. It looked like there wasn't going to be a clear winner for a while, as each Pokemon got grazed several times, until Silver spotted a tiny gap in Crawdaunt's guard.

"Attack the left!" he cried.

"Right!" Juan shouted at the same time. The two Pokemon charged at each other, each attacking from a different direction, and both of them were clubbed around the head by their counterpart. They seemed frozen in the air for a moment, struggling against each other, before both collapsing backwards onto the floor. They had both fainted, their Crabhammers proving to be equal after all.

"Corphish, return. You were great; I didn't expect you to be so strong,"

"Crawdaunt, come back. Corphish was indeed stronger than I expected. I shall exhibit more caution from now on. Milotic, my beautiful one, your stage is set!" Juan hurled a Pokeball into the air after recalling Crawdaunt, and a sparkling, serpentine creature emerged with the most beautiful scales Silver had ever seen and a feathery, fan-like tail.

"Zangoose, go! Just try your best and weaken Milotic. If you faint, I still have Kecleon in reserve, so don't worry," Silver said, and Zangoose looked daggers at him. "No! I didn't mean I expect you to faint or anything! I'm sorry, OK? Now will you show me some of that amazing Slash power you've got stored up?" Zangoose managed a smile and turned back to his foe, claws raised.

"Milotic, use Twister!" Silver snapped back to attention as Milotic (apparently called the Tender Pokemon, and was apparently the most beautiful creature in the world) breathed out a swirling tornado that rumbled towards Zangoose ominously.

"Zangoose, use Double Team!" Suddenly, there was a wide row of several Zangooses, and the Twister stopped in place as if confused.

"Sweep them all away!" Juan ordered, and the Twister attacked from the side, moving up the row and destroying image after image.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" All of the remaining Zangooses charged away from the Twister, and the real one came from the side, slamming into Milotic and making it squeak with pain. The Twister died out immediately, and it was like it had never been.

"Quickly, Iron Tail!" Juan countered, and Milotic swung his glowing tail around in an arc, destroying the rest of the Zangoose images so only the real one survived to land in front of his foe. "Now, Iron Tail again!"

"Zangoose, jump and dodge it! And use Swords Dance!" Zangoose leapt away from the strike, which slammed into the floor instead, and twisted and rolled in mid-air before landing perfectly, his claws sharpened to deadly effect.

"Be careful, Milotic. Zangoose has just increased his attack. Use Twister again to keep him off balance!" Milotic let loose another rampaging tornado, but Zangoose didn't even flinch as it made its way closer, looking to his master for orders.

"Zangoose, use Quick Attack to dodge it again!" Zangoose sped away from the Twister with ease, a silver trail glowing behind him, and stopped behind Milotic in a perfect position to attack. "Slash!"

"Milotic, behind you! Iron Tail!" Milotic's tail and Zangoose's claws clashed with a sharp noise that set Silver's ears ringing. The two bounced off each other and each Pokemon was unharmed. Out of nowhere, Milotic's Twister came from the side, slamming into Zangoose unexpectedly and throwing him across the room, so he was nowhere near close enough to attack his foe. "Use Hydro Pump!" Juan cried as Zangoose got up, and Milotic blasted out a thick jet of water that Silver knew was a super-powerful move.

"Double Team!" The Hydro Pump slammed into a fake Zangoose as a dozen once more appeared on the battle-field, but this time Milotic took the initiative and kept up the stream, sweeping it around so it destroyed more and more of the images. "If he's not going to quit, we may as well use Quick Attack! Get behind him again!" The many Zangooses darted forwards, several more falling under Milotic's onslaught, but the crucial real one was in position in a split second. "Now Swords Dance!"

"Milotic, Iron Tail behind you again!" Zangoose displayed another intricate power dance, but as he completed it Milotic's tail took him in the chest, hurling him backwards, winded.

"Zangoose, can you get up?" Silver asked, and Zangoose hopped up immediately, holding his claws up in a challenge again. "Get ready for another Quick Attack. But wait for Milotic to move first,"

"Ready for another dodge? I don't think so. Milotic, Recover!" Milotic glowed with many different colours, replenishing his lost health. Soon he was as good as new, his scales sparkling brilliantly as he faced off against a now-disadvantaged Zangoose.

"This isn't going to make anything easier. But use Swords Dance, whilst he Recovers!" Zangoose did one last, incredibly complex manoeuvre as Milotic's health reached its optimum, and the two foes faced off; one blow from Zangoose would be incredibly strong, but would it make any difference if Milotic could Recover all of his health again?

"Milotic, Hydro Pump!" Another jet of water thundered towards Zangoose as Milotic unleashed his power.

"Zangoose, get closer with Quick Attack! But take your time. Don't risk a hit," Silver warned as Zangoose sped into play, speeding around Milotic in a circle and drawing gradually closer with each revolution, outspeeding the Hydro Pump with ease until Milotic actually gave up, panting for breath. "Now! Double Team!" Silver cried at the last possible minute.

"Iron Tail... what?" Juan said sharply as Milotic was surrounded by Zangooses. He had expected another Slash or Quick Attack, and yet again Silver had turned this on its head. The man seemed lost for words for a split second, and Silver took his chance.

"Use Slash!" The Zangoose squad came from all sides, and Milotic looked around helplessly for the real one; unfortunately, his head was turned as Zangoose himself attacked, coming from behind to unleash an incredibly powerful blow. Powered up by three Swords Dances to its optimum level, and choosing this time to be a critical hit, the Slash attack floored Milotic completely, far beyond Recover's help.

"Milotic! I cannot believe it. Return. A Zangoose, beating my beloved Milotic? My foe, having a Pokemon actually left in reserve? Inconceivable. But I cannot deny the truth of it. Here, Silver from Littleroot Town. Here is the Rainbadge. This will grant you access to the Pokemon League, and may you fight well," Juan passed him a badge shaped like three raindrops, which he pinned onto his chest. Eight badges, gleaming together. He had done it. He had defeated all of Hoenn's Gyms, and was eligible to challenge the Elite Four and the Champion!

"Thanks, Juan. You provided me with a real challenge, whatever the result was. It was a pleasure battling with the mentor of a friend,"

"Mentor? You know Wallace? Remarkable! I can see greatness indeed in your future then, Silver. I would even offer you my coat as a symbol of your victory, but I know an honourable boy like yourself would never accept such a deal. Thank you for the battle, and good luck in the League," Juan said, and took his leave after an ostentatious bow.

"Aww... I would've worn his coat as well. How would I have looked, Zangoose?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose replied wearily, as if to say he shouldn't even bother to ask.

"Oh well. You did brilliantly, my friend. I just hope you're ready to face off against the Champion, because that's where we're heading next!"


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 45**

Silver and his team looked excitedly over the edge of the ferry as it sped towards their next destination: Ever Grande City. Atop a mountain, past Hoenn's Victory Road, was the Hoenn League, where he would take on the Elite Four and the Champion in battle. Silver felt alert and fresh after spending the night in Sootopolis City after yet another day of training, and as he breathed in the sea air and took in his first sight of Ever Grande City itself, he smiled. After working so hard and taking on so many challenges, he was finally here. Not forgetting the Pokemon at his side, of course. Combusken had perfected his Flamethrower attack after hours of hard work, and was ready to give it his all, as usual. Breloom had proved himself as a consistently good battler throughout Silver's journey, and was, if anything, getting even better as the pressure increased. Corphish retained his never-say-die personality and guts from their very first meeting in Petalburg City, and, as he had shown again Juan, he was surprisingly powerful as well. Zangoose had also exhibited skill against Juan, beating his Milotic through sheer expertise and dexterity. His Swords Dance would prove to be a potent weapon in the fights to come. Seviper was the only Pokemon to have not won Silver a Gym battle, but nevertheless Silver couldn't deny his battling skills, especially the Crunch and Wrap combination that made use of his serpent qualities so well. Kecleon, of course, was the dark horse of the team, who could adapt to anything in a one-on-one battle. The one thing Silver had to remember with him was that his foes could use strategy to make Kecleon weak against their attacks. All in all, they were a powerful team that had forged into an effective fighting unit despite themselves. Even Zangoose and Seviper were friendly now.

"Take a good look, guys. At the top of that mountain, we're going to take on the Champion, and beat them too," Silver said, pointing towards Ever Grande City as it steadily grew closer. "We'll win it for everyone back home. For Crystal and the gang, Mum and Dad, Castform, Ninjask and Shedinja. If we just keep them in our hearts and minds, we can't lose,"

"Breloom!" Breloom replied, leaping up and punching the air. Silver felt uncommonly relaxed as the ferry approached the Ever Grande City docks, even though he knew what lay ahead. Kanto's Victory Road had been difficult and dangerous, and he didn't expect it to be a picnic here, either, but when he focused on the bigger picture he realised that Victory Road would actually be the easiest part of his stay in Ever Grande.

"We have reached Ever Grande City, home of the Pokemon League. Please enjoy your stay and sail with Hoenn Ferry Service again," a voice over the intercom said as they slowed to a halt, and Silver left with a crowd of people; most, if not all were tourists. It seemed he would be the only challenger today. Ever Grande City lived up to its name; it was small, certainly, but the buildings were up-to-date, sleek affairs that shone in the sunlight. It was incredibly clean and tidy, and everything seemed to have its place. It was a town of luxury, but as Silver walked past some of the sumptuous houses, he realised you had to work hard for that luxury at the same time. He paid one quick visit to the Pokemon Centre, which was luckily right next to the beginning of Victory Road, to get a last check up on his Pokemon. Luckily, all of them were fit and healthy enough for the climb, and the nurse had assessed them as happy and fine to battle as well. His excitement was mixed with trepidation again as he looked up at the bleak climb ahead, and the sign beside the start of the mountain path; 'Please do not attempt to climb Victory Road unless you are a certified Pokemon Trainer, as it is exceedingly dangerous.' A whole host of other symbols were studded next to the words, depicting landslides, falls and worse besides.

"OK, guys, let's get going. We'll have to be light on our feet here; some of these ledges can be pretty unstable," Silver said anxiously. And so the trek up Victory Road began. It wasn't quite as punishing as what he remembered the Kanto version to be like, but it wasn't easy either. Only Combusken's quick thinking and Seviper's body used like a rope saved him from a plunge as a rock gave way beneath him, and in return he snatched Combusken out of the path of a landslide. Breloom was on Pokemon duty, blasting any Rock types with Mega Drain to ward them off, and Corphish sporadically joined him for the fun of it; he particularly enjoyed whacking a Geodude with his Crabhammer so it sailed off the edge like a baseball. Fortunately, both Kecleon and Zangoose were agile enough to cope with the many dangers, and even scouted ahead sometimes to find easier routes. About halfway up, they stopped for some lunch on a wide, stable ledge, resting their aching muscles. At one point they had been forced to climb up a sheer rock face, with the result that Silver's hands got cut and bruised and his clothes got torn in multiple places. Corphish and Seviper had to be returned, as they weren't able to climb steep surfaces, but both were set free again to enjoy some food. "How is everyone? Alive?" Silver said tiredly after taking a swig of lemonade.

"Combusken," Combusken replied for the group, and from what Silver could deduce, everyone was OK to keep going outside their Pokeballs.

"Let's get going again. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, right?" he said hopefully, but was greeted with lacklustre response. They applied themselves to the rest of the mountain path with hopeless vigour, wondering whether they were ever going to finish after another straight half an hour with no end in sight, but suddenly, as they rested again, Silver heard voices above them. Voices? That meant people! And people meant that the end must be near, mustn't it? "Hoenn League, here we come!" he cried, jumping to his feet and running as fast as he could up the thin mountain path ahead. Before his Pokemon could catch up, a stone shifted under his foot with a crack, and he teetered on the edge for a heart-stopping moment before getting lifted up by an invisible force. "Huh? What's going on?" he said, looking to his Pokemon for answers, but they were nonplussed as he was lifted higher and higher, out of sight. Eventually, he was deposited on another flat ledge, but this one seemed wider and even more solid than the other. He straightened up and looked around for his saviour, and almost fell backwards off the precipice again as he laid eyes upon them. "Wally?" he breathed, looking at the thin, green-haired boy that stood before him.

"Yep. Not pleased to see me, even after Gardevoir saved your life?" he joked.

"Of course I am! But how did you get here? I haven't just whacked my head on a rock and am imagining all this, am I?" Wally chuckled.

"No, no. Gardevoir, please retrieve Silver's Pokemon too. I want to see them in person," A thin, seemingly gowned Pokemon slipped out from behind her master, and her eyes glowed with Psychic energy that made the air throb. Seconds later, Silver's team were being lifted up over the edge, deposited in an unruly mass at Silver's feet. Corphish jumped out of the tangle of bodies, waving his pincers angrily, but Silver said,

"Calm down, Corphish! They're friends. They were just helping out," Corphish still looked suspicious, and crossed his claws over his chest in a huff as Silver turned back to Wally. "So... how come you're here?"

"Same reason as you. To challenge the Pokemon League!" Wally replied enthusiastically.

"What?! You've got all eight badges?" Silver asked, gobsmacked.

"Huh? What d'you mean? You don't _need_ badges, right?" Wally replied uncertainly.

"Uh... I'm afraid so. Only people who've gotten all the Hoenn region badges can compete in the Hoenn League. Sorry, but those are the rules," he said sympathetically as Wally looked downcast.

"All that training... all that Pokemon catching... scaling Victory Road... all for nothing. No, not for nothing, actually. I get to see you, at least," Wally perked up slightly and smiled.

"Don't worry, if you've got a team that you think is strong enough to beat the Elite Four, you should sweep Hoenn's Gyms in about a week. Then you can come back here and challenge me for the Champion title when I beat the current one!"

"Actually, I was kind of hoping we could battle today. That's the reason that I waited here; after you phoned me to say you'd won your eighth badge, I knew you'd be heading here as soon as possible," Wally replied, shifting his foot in embarrassment.

"That sounds good too. I'd be happy to battle you. How many Pokemon have you got?"

"Five. Is that OK?"

"Sure. Five each it is. Do you want to go first, or shall I?"

"I will. I've been looking forward to this for ages... Altaria, I choose you!" The familiar cloud-like Flying Pokemon hovered above the field, piping its beautiful song.

"Altaria... man, I don't like Altaria. Let's see... the only two who don't have a disadvantage or are ineffective are Kecleon or Zangoose. Kecleon, I didn't use you against Juan, so you can take this one. Just remember Winona's Altaria and everything will be fine," Kecleon pulled himself free from his fellows and shook himself down as he faced off against Altaria.

"Altaria, Aerial Ace!" Wally cried excitedly, and Altaria dived down, preparing to slam into Kecleon.

"Hmm... We can't dodge this, so how about a Hidden Power? I've never seen your Normal type one before," Silver responded, and suddenly Kecleon was being circled by a helix of small, glowing lights. As Altaria swooped in for the attack, the Hidden Power hit him full on, a bullet-like volley of painful lights that Altaria nevertheless ignored and battered Kecleon with its fluffy wings. Kecleon was thrown backwards, but in mid-air his skin turned sky blue, and he twitched mid-flight to hover a foot or two above the ground.

"Huh? What's going on?" Wally said, scratching his head as he watched Kecleon do a grinning somersault, Altaria looking on fearfully.

"Kecleon's special ability allows him to change his type. Kecleon, try a Thief attack!" Kecleon hurtled towards Altaria through the air, literally flying rings around his Dragon opponent before landing on its back and retrieving a juicy berry from underneath its wing.

"Amazing! But a little surprise won't save you," Wally said, regaining his bearings as he watched Kecleon float upwards again, reclining and eating his berry leisurely. "Altaria, Dragon Dance!" Altaria flapped and shifted in the air, increasing the volume of his song and making the air around him shimmer oddly.

"Kecleon, blow him off course with a Hidden Power!" Altaria was sent crashing unceremoniously to the ground as Kecleon unleashed a powerful gust of wind, hovering above his grounded foe and snickering.

"Don't worry, Altaria! Dragonbreath!" Wally encouraged, and Altaria came back to himself, blasting Kecleon with a gout of green fire as he prepared to take off again.

"Kecleon, get down to the floor! Dodge it as best you can!" Silver parried, and Kecleon looped-the-loop to evade the first blast, drifting delicately down to the ground as Altaria kept up the barrage. "Just a little to the left!" Silver cried suddenly, and Kecleon shifted to the side, getting grazed on the side by the Dragonbreath as it hissed past. His skin shifted to a pure white colour as he assumed the Dragon type. "Perfect! Now, one last Hidden Power!"

"Altaria, Dragon is still weak to Dragon! Hit him again with Dragonbreath!" Altaria breathed out a thin stream of green fire again, but this was easily blasted aside by Kecleon's glowing beam attack, which slammed into Altaria for a super-effective knock-out blow. "Altaria, no! Return. I'm sorry, my knowledge of Pokemon didn't stretch to Kecleon, so I was caught completely unawares. Delcatty, make it up for me!" Wally sadly pulled back the fainted bird Pokemon and replaced him with Delcatty, the Prim Pokemon, who used its inherent cuteness to its advantage in battle.

"Kecleon, return. You were brilliant against Altaria. Breloom, let's go!"

"Breloom," Breloom said in a determined voice, standing opposite his cat-like opponent and luckily not underestimating him.

"OK, Delcatty, hit Breloom with Sing!" Delcatty opened his mouth and meowed a tune that started making Breloom drowsy.

"Breloom, whack him with a Mach Punch before he can take you out!" Silver countered quickly, and Breloom darted forwards at incredible speed, smashing Delcatty away with a flailing, supersonic fist. Delcatty hissed in pain and only barely recovered his bearings long enough to fight back.

"Delcatty, don't worry about it! Use Faint Attack!" Delcatty vanished from sight and crashed into Breloom from behind; however, Silver had refrained from giving orders for a reason. Breloom's potent Effect Spore came into play and doused Delcatty in a bluish powder that ironically sent him to sleep. Delcatty curled up on the floor, snoozing, as Breloom recovered from the attack. "Delcatty, wake up! Use Secret Power!" Wally said desperately, but Delcatty was in too deep to hear.

"Breloom, use Mega Drain! And when he wakes up, Sky Uppercut!" Silver ordered, and Delcatty was blasted with crackling green bolts of energy, which sucked his dwindling health into Breloom to recompense him for the Faint Attack. With a screech and an angry spit, Delcatty's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet. He was conscious for just long enough to see Breloom's fist hurtling towards him, but wasn't in the land of the living long enough to feel himself get thrown upwards and returned.

"Delcatty, I'm so sorry. There was no excuse for that. But you will be avenged! Magneton, go!"

"Breloom, return. That was really good. Combusken, I choose you!" Silver called back the Grass Pokemon and sent out Combusken instead for a double type advantage.

"Magneton, use Lock On! I want to be sure that your next attack will do some real damage," Wally said, smiling and looking over at Silver with fire in his eyes. Silver sighed; he was reluctant to quench that flame, but he wanted this battle under wraps too. Wally would be good enough to beat Gym Leaders, but he lacked the experience for truly great battles.

"Sorry, Wally, but I've got to end this. Combusken, Overheat!" Combusken closed his eyes, powered up for a second and unleashed a cone of white-hot fire that made the surrounding air as hot as a summer's day. This cone slammed directly into Magneton for a super-effective blow; one of the most powerful Fire attacks known to Pokemon would have been punishing for any Pokemon, but especially a Steel type. Magneton fell to the floor with a clang, his three eyes rolling in defeat.

"Magneton! You can't have lost! Not in one hit!" Wally cried, running over to his Pokemon as Silver regretfully recalled his Pokemon, the spectators as well as the tired-out Combusken. "Come back, buddy. It was my fault, not yours. Silver..." Wally straightened up, wiping his eyes as he faced his best friend. "I... I'm sorry. Sorry for wasting your time. I should've known that you would beat me easily. I'll leave you to your League challenge; someday maybe, in the far future, I can get good enough to challenge you properly,"

"Hey, don't talk like that!" Silver said. "You call that a waste of time? It was another crucial battle where I could get some much-needed experience and time to bond with my Pokemon! Just as important as any of my other battles. More important, as you're one of my best friends. I can tell that in time you'll be a fantastic Pokemon Trainer; you're just a little too quick off the bat. It generally takes a long, difficult journey to truly bond with your Pokemon and train up a great team. You've already proved with Ralts that you have a connection with Pokemon that runs deeper than normal people can understand. What you have to do is use that connection, and let it flourish over time, like a flower. I'll expect to hear great things about you in the near future, OK? I want to be Champion for a few days at most before I face your challenge. For now, I'd be really happy if you'd accompany me into the Pokemon League, and watch the battles that you're allowed to. My friends and family did last time I challenged the Indigo League, so I don't see why it should be any different now,"

"You... you really mean it? Me, watch your battles? I'd be honoured! I'll cheer you on every day, and so will Gardevoir! You proved to me that I've still got a way to go, but with some hard work and determination, I can get there,"

"That's the spirit! Now, let's travel over the rest of this nightmarish place and get to a nice, comfortable room," Silver said, clapping him on the shoulder, and the two of them walked side-by-side as equals for the rest of the way up Victory Road. When they eventually they reached the top, having helped each other every step of the way, they looked upon the Hoenn League Headquarters with pride. "Yes! We've finally made it! Come out and have a look, everyone!" Silver said excitedly, releasing all of his Pokemon. They gave out a collective cry of excitement, and Silver had to restrain Corphish to stop the crab-like creature scuttling towards it at a rate of knots. As they entered the modern-looking lobby, Wally waited behind with the Pokemon as Silver marched triumphantly up to the desk to register. "Hi! Can I register to challenge the Hoenn League, please?"

"That's what I'm here for," the man behind the desk said in a bored voice, slapping a form and a pen down in front of him. "Fill this in, and we'll keep you briefed as to when your first opponent will be ready. It'll be one a day after that, with the rest of the day..."

"Devoted to rest and healing," Silver finished for him, amazed that he could remember the words of the Indigo League's attendant.

"Basically, yes," the man sighed. Silver scribbled in his name, address, Pokemon team and date of challenge, and then was given the keys to a couple of rooms.

"Thanks. Well, I'll probably see you tomorrow, then," Silver said, and the man half-waved as Silver turned back to Wally. "Aargh! What are you doing here?" he cried, seeing no less than three extra people crowded next to Wally. His mother Anna, holding Chikorita as usual, his father Norman and Scott (as well as Hypno, of course).

"What d'you think, champ in the making? Cheering you on, of course!" Scott said jovially, clapping him on the back.

"I couldn't be here when you challenged the Indigo League, Silver, so I am here now to see my dream fully come true. My son, the Hoenn Champion... it defies belief," Norman said, looking uncharacteristically emotional.

"Defies belief? Well, thanks for that. I'll remember those stirring words when I battle," Silver said sarcastically. "Hi, Chikorita! Hi, Mum!"

"Hi sweetie! After you phoned to tell us about beating Juan, we knew you'd be heading here. So we took the chairlift up,"

"Chairlift?! Why did nobody tell me about this," Silver grumbled. "It's a shame Crystal couldn't be here..." he said hopefully, looking around as if he expected her to jump out from behind a pot-plant.

"You know she's rooting for you. And you just reminded me, she told me to give you this from her," Anna said, clicking her fingers. Silver turned back to look at her, expecting perhaps a present or letter, but received a strangely powerful shoulder-punch instead.

"Ow! Some mother you are," Silver said hurtfully, rubbing his aching shoulder. "You could give Crystal lessons. You don't know karate, do you?" he said with trepidation.

"No, of course not. Now, let's go to your rooms and get everything set for your battle tomorrow," Anna replied impatiently, and Silver allowed himself to be dragged off, along with his friends. Norman and Wally were in deep conversation, with Norman admiring Wally's Gardevoir, and Silver smiled. He had all of these people behind him, people who had been helpful in his journey whether it was handing out a Gym badge, saving up money or merely being a friend. He felt stronger knowing that they'd be there tomorrow, when he finally took his first step in the Elite Four challenge.


	46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 46**

"So you're the challenger Silver, eh? Looking good! Lookin' _real_ good! Come on then, pal! Show me what you got!" Sidney said, looking quite maniacal as he hopped from foot to foot excitedly. The man was not overly tall, but his height was boosted by a spiked red Mohawk. He wore a leather jacket over red clothes, and five Pokeballs were at his belt. This was Silver's first opponent in the Hoenn League; Sidney, a Dark type master. His supporters sat at the sidelines, and Silver glanced at them to hearten himself before steeling for battle. Sidney was pretty weird as Trainers went, but he was certainly enthusiastic, and if he translated his unpredictability to the battle-field then Silver was in for a tough fight.

"Combusken, I choose you!" he cried, releasing the Fire Pokemon, who, with a secondary Fighting type, had an advantage against most Dark Pokemon. Combusken stood ready, his beak gritted with determination as Sidney hurled his own Pokeball into the ring.

"Mightyena, start me off!" A large, dog-like creature emerged, snarling viciously, although Combusken was not easily intimidated. "Use Double Edge!" Mightyena padded forwards, lowering its head as it prepared to slam its whole body into Combusken; a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

"Combusken, jump over him!" Silver said, and Combusken launched himself upwards on his powerful legs, flipping right over Mightyena so the beast hurtled beneath him, battering nothing but thin air with his charge. "Now, Flamethrower!"

"Mightyena, behind you! Sand Attack!" Mightyena kicked up a cloud of sand with his back legs, which sprayed right into Combusken's face, irritating his eyes. His Flamethrower missed by an inch as Mightyena twitched to the side, ready for more orders. "Now, Crunch!" Mightyena leapt forwards, opening his jaws wide to bite Combusken with his sharp teeth.

"Combusken, Focus Energy to get rid of that sand! Then Double Kick!" Combusken stayed in place, psyching himself up and methodically picking the sand grains from his eyes to clear his vision. However, Mightyena wasn't going to give him a chance to fully prepare, and his jaws snapped shut on Combusken's arm. "Keep going, Combusken! I know you've got it in you!" Silver encouraged, and despite the pain Combusken continued with his Focus Energy, until his eyes were completely free of dust and dirt and he was ready to strike back.

"Mightyena, Double Edge!" Sidney cried, and Mightyena let go of Combusken for a split second, before launching forwards into another charge. As the two collided, Combusken was knocked backwards, allowing Mightyena time to get over the sharp recoil that he had suffered. "Crunch again!"

"This is our chance to fight back, Combusken! Use Double Kick!" Mightyena's charge was stopped cold as a powerful, clawed foot slammed into his snout, and before he could even process the pain another kick came from above, slamming onto the top of his head and causing his legs to give way beneath him. "Great! Now, use Flamethrower!"

"Mightyena, roll to the right!" Sidney warned, and Mightyena yet again escaped Flamethrower's lick by a hairsbreadth. "He's right open for a Double Edge!" Mightyena tensed his legs beneath him and bounded forwards, growling viciously.

"Combusken, jump straight up! Then Double Kick!" Combusken leapt directly upwards so that Mightyena was once again deprived a target, and as soon as the dog-like creature was directly beneath him, he fell like a meteor and landed on his foe's back, dealing two powerful blows at once. Mightyena yelped and rolled away from his Fire type opponent, his tail between his legs as he tried to regain himself.

"Mightyena, Crunch! Try to injure Combusken's leg!" Sidney ordered, and Mightyena was on the attack again, angling for Combusken's ankle to try and cripple his amazing jumps and kicks.

"Hit him with a Flamethrower! He's heading straight for you!" Silver countered, and Mightyena was blasted backwards by a stream of hot fire that Combusken breathed out. The Dark Pokemon whined and fled back to his Trainer as his fur sizzled, and Combusken squawked victoriously.

"Mightyena, you can still fight! Get back in there and win it for me with a last Double Edge!" Mightyena doubtfully turned on his heels and thundered back towards Combusken for a power charge.

"You've broken his spirit, Combusken. I'm sure you can stop his charge with another Double Kick," Silver said, not wanting to lower Combusken's guard by sounding excited by Mightyena's apparent surrender.

"Mightyena, stop! Use Sand Attack instead!" Mightyena turned and kicked up another stream of sand, hiding him from view and seeking to lower Combusken's accuracy. However, Combusken took Silver's orders one step further and actually leapt through the sand, swinging his body around and delivering a kick right to Mightyena's chin that sent him flying backwards. As the dog Pokemon got shakily to his feet, the second kick slammed home straight to his face. Mightyena's face froze in position as he saw stars, and at a tap from Combusken's claw he keeled over to the side, unconscious."Mightyena, return. I shouldn't have used you when you had a disadvantage; it looks like my confidence got the better of me. But not this time! Crawdaunt, I choose you!" Mightyena was recalled and Crawdaunt burst from his Pokeball, clashing his huge claws and glaring balefully over at Combusken.

"Luckily, as the challenger, I'm allowed to switch out. Not that I don't think you can beat Crawdaunt, but I think it's best to make sure, so Combusken, return. Breloom, go!" The Grass and Fighting type squared off against Crawdaunt for a double type advantage. This was Breloom's second encounter with a Crawdaunt, but his first had been against Juan's, where he had already beaten two Pokemon and was far too exhausted to put up a decent fight. Today, Silver hoped, would be different.

"Crawdaunt, use Surf!" Sidney commanded, and water flooded from Crawdaunt's wide open claws, which he quickly formed into a towering wave. Silver was hit by a moment of nostalgia as he remembered Politoed's Surf, but he quickly snapped himself out of it and went for a counter-attack.

"Breloom, can you see him on top of that wave?" he asked, and Breloom nodded as he spotted Crawdaunt perched on top of the huge wave. "Hit him with Sky Uppercut, then!" Breloom bounded upwards to meet the wave head-on, rising just far enough to clip Crawdaunt with his rising fist. The Rogue Pokemon blinked and lost his footing as the powerful blow grazed his face, and the wave quickly disintegrated as his concentration broke. Unfortunately, the blow hadn't rattled him enough to stop him landing perfectly, and he was instantly ready for more as he saw that Breloom was waiting.

"If a Surf won't work, let's try a Swords Dance!" Crawdaunt span in a circle, waving and clashing his pincers, and Silver's blood ran cold as he realised Crawdaunt's already immense attack power had gone even higher.

"Hit him with a Stun Spore, Breloom. He can't attack if he's well and truly Paralysed, can he?" Silver said anxiously, and Breloom lowered his head, blasting out a wave of orange spores from his cap. Crawdaunt hissed and sneezed as the nerve-zapping powder covered his shell.

"We're prepared for this, aren't we, Crawdaunt? Use Facade!" Sidney smiled, and Crawdaunt scuttled forwards, gleaming with an orange aura. The Stun Spore, coupled with the Swords Dance, meant that Facade would be deadly.

"Breloom, use Mach Punch to dodge!" Silver commanded, and Breloom danced away from Crawdaunt with ease, moving quicker than the eye could follow to charge in from behind and batter Crawdaunt across the back of the head with a ringing strike. However, somehow Crawdaunt managed to make his Facade aura explode outwards like a bomb blast, and Breloom was pushed away by the expanding aura; it hadn't done as much damage as the full-on charge would have done, but the unexpectedness had caught Breloom out and sent him flying. He was momentarily helpless as he reeled backwards, on his feet but seeing stars.

"Crawdaunt, quickly! Use Strength!" Crawdaunt whipped around and hammered Breloom with a powerful claw strike, sending the mushroom Pokemon flying.

"Breloom, can you keep going?" Silver asked anxiously, and Breloom hopped up, ready to continue the fight. "Alright! We'd better hit him with a Mega Drain!"

"Crawdaunt, Facade!" Sidney countered, and soon Crawdaunt and his aura were pushing up against streams of crackling green lightning that Breloom focused and manipulated like a master. A decision didn't seem soon in coming until Sidney broke the deadlock. "Crawdaunt, get away from there and use Swords Dance!" Crawdaunt hopped out of the way of Mega Drain and started spinning again, trying to raise his attack power even further. However, before he could even complete a single rotation, he was being lit up by a redirected Mega Drain as Breloom sucked the vitality out of him as quickly and precisely as possible. "No! Facade!" Sidney said, and Silver knew Breloom's Mega Drain had possibly shifted the balance of power immensely. Crawdaunt changed tactics again, and started charging at Breloom before being halted in his tracks by the Mega Drain that pounded his orange shield.

"They're clutching at straws, Breloom. But whilst Facade might protect him nicely from special attacks, we know a good physical one will work. Sky Uppercut!" Breloom suddenly stopped the barrage of energy and darted forwards, delivering a quick and mighty blow that bypassed Crawdaunt's Facade easily and sent the crab-like beast hurtling backwards. Breloom stood still, regaining his breath and recuperating from the sting of the Facade, as Crawdaunt got to his feet again, looking disoriented.

"You still managed a Swords Dance or two, so another Strength will be the end of him," Sidney hissed, and Crawdaunt scurried forwards, raising his claw again.

"Breloom, wait for it... now he's in position! Mega Drain, and don't hold back!" Crawdaunt, moving slower and less decisively than usual, glowed green as the bolts of power fried him again. Breloom wagged his tail and smiled as Crawdaunt collapsed under his own weight, beyond the pale of consciousness.

"Crawdaunt, come back. It's one killer blow that I can't switch out. Let's have Grass against Grass, then; Shiftry, let's go!" Sidney released a scary-looking wood demon known as Shiftry, the Wicked Pokemon, who lived in ancient forests where people never ventured.

"Creepy. Let's see... I may as well use Combusken again, as he'll have a double advantage. Geez, this is like a tag-team battle or something, isn't it?" Silver joked as Combusken took Breloom's place. Combusken nodded seriously, but didn't take his eyes of Shiftry for a second.

"I've prepared for any disadvantages with Shiftry here. Use Double Team!" All of a sudden, Combusken was completely surrounded by a group of leering Shiftrys, in great position to attack.

"Keep cool, Combusken. Sweep around them all with a Flamethrower, but not too powerful; we need to keep your energy levels up," Silver said conservatively, and Combusken breathed out a thin stream of fire, rotating on the spot to blast one image after another with flames and make them blink out of existence.

"Shiftry, use Swagger!" The real Shiftry darted forward from the circle, purposely revealing himself and slapping Combusken weakly with his leaves, sneering and showing off his speed and skill. Combusken snarled and increased the power of his Flamethrower, blasting all of the Shiftrys with all the strength he could muster. "Dodge it!" Sidney cried, and Shiftry was soon on his own, leaping up, down and all around to evade the fiery blast that threatened to engulf him.

"Combusken, he's trying to confuse you and tire you out! Calm down!" Silver pleaded, but Combusken was too angry to listen, actually hurting himself rather than Shiftry as he did his best to destroy the leaping Grass Pokemon.

"Now Torment!" Sidney said, smiling triumphantly. Shiftry twitched aside from another Flamethrower with contemptuous ease and beckoned to Combusken, as if to invite him to really start trying. Silver could see a nerve in Combusken's temple twitching, and before he could stop him, he was unleashing the deadly Overheat attack. Shiftry leapt upwards and avoided the cone of white-hot fire, leaving Combusken sprawled-out and panting.

"Now d'you see what he was trying to do?" Silver said impatiently, and Combusken nodded weakly from his prone position, the exertion having cleared his head slightly.

"Shiftry, finish him off with Extrasensory!" Shiftry stood still for once, and Combusken was suddenly being lifted upwards helplessly by Psychic power, his whole body warping and twisting as he was tugged to and fro. The Grass Pokemon then battered him with a volley of mental pulses and slammed him to the floor. Combusken sprawled out, his eyes rolling, and Silver returned him.

"Wow. That'll stop me from ever getting overconfident. Sorry, Combusken, I shouldn't have let him get as far as he did with the whole taunting thing. But who to choose now? Breloom and Seviper both have an advantage against him normally, but with that Psychic attack, I just don't know... Corphish has a disadvantage, being a Water type, and Kecleon would turn into a Psychic type after being hit by Extrasensory; thus, he'd have a disadvantage too. Looks like you're up, Zangoose!" Silver whittled down his Pokemon until there was one left, and the Cat Ferret Pokemon took to the battle-field, his claws glinting dangerously.

"Shiftry, start off with Double Team! We'll see if Zangoose is as easy to rile up as Combusken," Sidney said with a grin, and Zangoose was surrounded by Shiftrys in the blink of an eye.

"Not likely. Zangoose has a Calm nature, after all. Let's see how they react to this; Zangoose, you use Double Team too!" The circle of Shiftrys now enclosed a collections of Zangooses, all facing different directions and all raising their claws into a defensive pose.

"Oh! He's a clever one, alright. But we'll get Zangoose out into the open with a Torment!" Shiftry once again made himself visible, differentiating himself from his fellows by sneering at Zangoose and inviting an attack.

"Ignore him, Zangoose. Use Swords Dance!" The Zangoose army span on the spot and sent their attacking power through the roof as they let Shiftry make a fool of himself. This time it was the Grass Pokemon who snarled angrily, not happy with being ignored.

"OK, Shiftry, use Swagger! That'll get his goat for sure!" Sidney said, looking slightly put-out that Torment didn't work but still confident all the same. Shiftry did the same old trick of showing himself off, trying to ignite Zangoose's temper and make him attack in anger. Silver could see the expressions on the Zangooses' faces changing for the worse, so he said calmly,

"He's just trying to get you annoyed, Zangoose. Keep up the Swords Dance and let him waste his time," Zangoose, with the help of Silver's words and his Calm nature, mastered his anger, channelling it into his Swords Dance. Focused on Shiftry as he was after the Swagger, Silver knew his attack power was reaching phenomenal levels already. "Use Quick Attack before he can hide again!" The mob of Zangooses charged forwards, but only the real one slammed into Shiftry, hurling him backwards off his feet and forcing his images to disappear. Shiftry looked up and baulked as he saw the many Zangooses surrounding him, all looking angry but focused.

"Use Extrasensory on all of them, Shiftry! We'll find the right one quickly enough," Shiftry stood still and silent again, probing with invisible power that made one image after another fade completely.

"Zangoose, he's concentrating! Break him with another Quick Attack!" Shiftry cried out in pain as Zangoose winded him with a super-quick charge to the stomach, and rolled on the ground in pain, gasping for air. "Finish up with a Slash!" Zangoose actually dragged Shiftry to his feet before flooring him again, this time with a tremendously powerful strike from his famous claws. Shiftry's scared, pained expression froze on his face as he collapsed backwards helplessly.

"Shiftry, return. You did well to beat Combusken. Now, Cacturne, show Zangoose what winning really is!" Shiftry was recalled, and a cactus-like creature took his place, looking sinister as he stood completely still, glaring out from underneath his cap. The Pokedex called him Cacturne, the Scarecrow Pokemon, who could use a Sandstorm as cover in a battle rather than just an attack.

"Zangoose, are you alright to keep it up?" Zangoose raised his claw and smiled to show he was fine and ready for combat. "Hit him with a Quick Attack, then!"

"Cacturne, Cotton Spore!" Sidney said as fast as he could, and as Zangoose impacted, he was covered with white, fluffy blobs that stuck on his fur and slowed his reactions. Cacturne staggered backwards, but his grim expression hadn't changed, nor had he even blinked as Zangoose's powerful charge hit home.

"He may not look like it, but he must've been hurt by that attack, Zangoose. Try a Slash attack!" Zangoose ran forwards to rake Cacturne with his talons, but Silver could see that he was a lot slower and clumsier than usual after suffering the Cotton Spore.

"Easy meat, Cacturne. Dodge, then use Leech Seed!" Cacturne ducked from the swipe, and spat out a volley of seeds which Zangoose was too slow to avoid. The seeds spat out tendrils which wrapped all around him, sucking away his energy and leeching it into the grinning Cacturne.

"Zangoose, you can do it! Quick Attack!" Zangoose painstakingly got to his feet after sinking to his knees, and charged towards Cacturne again.

"Batter up! Needle Arm!" Sidney joked maniacally, and the thorns on Cacturne's arms lengthened as it glowed with power, and Zangoose was battered away before he could even attack. Thrown backwards helplessly, he landed in a heap, defeated. Cacturne hissed with menacing pleasure as Silver recalled Zangoose.

"That Cotton Spore really killed us off. Don't worry, it took me by surprise too, it wasn't your fault. But I know a friend of yours who has a certain advantage against Cacturne. Seviper, I choose you!" Seviper hissed and waved his tail as he faced off against the immobile Cacturne. "Get ready, Seviper. He beat up Zangoose, so show no mercy," Seviper hissed angrily again, rearing up like the snake he resembled and tasting the air with his thin tongue.

"Seviper, eh? A Poison type. But that won't stop us. Cacturne, Cotton Spore!" A volley of the fluffy spores floated over towards Seviper as they squeezed themselves out of Cacturne's pores.

"Don't let them hit you, whatever happens. Dodge, and use Glare!" Seviper bounded to the side like a coiled spring, barely avoiding the Cotton Spores before staring into Cacturne's eyes, pouring all of his venomous wrath into one stare. For what felt like hours, Cacturne and Seviper stared into each other's eyes, the Poison Pokemon trying to overcome his emotionless foe. Suddenly, Cacturne fell forwards onto one knee, hissing with pain as his muscles contracted and seized up. "Yes! That showed him who's boss! Use Poison Tail!" Seviper swung his glowing purple tail in to slam Cacturne to the floor, but not if Sidney could help it.

"Faint Attack!" Cacturne vanished a second before the Poison Tal would have hit, and hurled himself a Seviper from behind, hoping to grab onto him and use his thorns to hurt the Fang Snake.

"This is one guy we'd better not use Wrap against. But Crunch will work!" Seviper recovered himself and snapped his jaws around Cacturne's cap, avoiding his sharp, thorny body as best he could.

"Cacturne, Needle Arm!" Sidney responded, and Cacturne battered every inch of Seviper he could reach with his spiny, glowing arm, dislodging the snake and sending him into retreat.

"Seviper, keep going! Don't give up!" Silver cried, and Seviper scrunched himself up again, ready for battle. "Great! Use Poison Tail!"

"Needle Arm again!" Sidney parried, and glowing arm and glowing tail clashed against each other repeatedly as the two combatants worked to defeat their foe. Seviper suddenly pulled off a sinuous feint, and despite suffering a thorny strike to the cheek, his own super-effective Poison Tail hit home too, sending Cacturne reeling helplessly with pain. Fired up by Zangoose's defeat, Seviper kept up the barrage, not letting Cacturne rest for a second as he stabbed and slashed again and again, until the Scarecrow Pokemon was lying at his feet in a crumpled heap. "Cacturne! Hmm... Seviper was an unexpectedly powerful foe, I'll admit. Absol, beat him for me!" A faintly dog-like beast emerged, with a black scythe on his head, and the Pokedex did little to boost Silver's spirits by calling him the Disaster Pokemon.

"Seviper, this is his last Pokemon, so it's probably his best too. Do your best and we'll be fine," Silver encouraged, and Seviper hissed softly.

"Absol, show Seviper what happens to people who challenge the Elite Four! Use Swords Dance!" Absol span in a circle, his scythe glowing softly as he powered up.

"Not again! Seviper, Wrap and Crunch him!" Seviper wound himself around Absol's soft, furry body, squeezing him tightly in his coils before biting at the scythe and tugging at it painfully.

"Wow! Cool combo. Absol, Aerial Ace!" Sidney applauded Silver and watched as Absol glowed with power, breaking free from Seviper's grip before lancing around and slamming into him. An attack that never missed would naturally let him escape such an attack, Silver reasoned, but he himself wasn't about to celebrate such a fact.

"Seviper, let's see if he can pull off that fancy dodge when he's all Paralysed. Fix him with a Glare!" Seviper reared up and tried to immobilise Absol with his hypnotic gaze.

"Absol, Slash!" Sidney responded, and Absol padded forwards, bringing his head back in preparation to swing his scythe in. Absol, for the first time in Silver's memory, actually managed to shrug off Seviper's Glare power, and the Fang Snake hissed with pain as the Disaster Pokemon's scythe delivered a powerful blow across the cheek, which was still smarting after Cacturne's Needle Arm. Absol looked calm and distinguished as Seviper hazily rose, shaking his head to clear out the cobwebs, and Silver's foreboding was increased. It would be much harder to catch a Pokemon like this out.

"Seviper, keep it going. We can still win this. Try a Poison Tail!" Seviper recollected himself and swung his tail in for a venomous strike.

"Absol, dodge it! Then Rock Slide!" Absol did a back-flip to avoid the swipe, then slammed his scythe into the ground, somehow creating a heavy wave of lumpy boulders that thundered towards a stunned Seviper at a rate of knots.

"This guy's good, but not invincible. Seviper, leap over the Rock Slide and try and land on him for a Wrap!" Seviper coiled himself up like a spring again, then, at the last moment, flexed his muscles and catapulted over the wave of debris. Absol actually looked surprised for once as Seviper hurtled down onto him, pushing him to the floor and encircling him in powerful coils. At last, Silver had the advantage of the unexpected.

"Absol, stick in there! Use Swords Dance!" Sidney encouraged, and Absol waved his scythe around like a flag as it glittered with power.

"Seviper, get out of there! Hit him with a Poison Tail!" Silver said quickly, and Seviper loosened his coils, slithering away from his foe before striking him bodily with his glowing tail. Absol looked strangely unfocused as he staggered to his feet, and coughed horribly, his whole body shuddering. "Yes! You've Poisoned him, Seviper!" Silver cried, punching the air, and Seviper hissed happily.

"They won't be conscious for long enough to gloat, Absol! A critical Slash will make an end of any of Silver's Pokemon!"

"Don't bet on it! Seviper, dodge as much as you can! Use Poison Tail if necessary to deflect his blows!" Silver retorted, and both Trainers were silent as the Pokemon battled back and forth. Even Poisoned, Absol was a formidable foe, and didn't let up for a second as he swept his scythe back and forth from all sides at once. Silver was reluctantly forced to admit that he didn't think Seviper would have been able to cope with the flurry of blows had Absol not been affected by the Poison. Luckily, Seviper's reactions were just quick enough to fend off his foe, although he was sweating and panting soon after the barrage began. Suddenly, the snake was left wanting, as Absol stopped in his tracks, breathing deeply as the venom flooded through his veins. Seviper fortunately took the initiative, as Silver was much too stunned to order, and slammed his Poison Tail right between Absol's eyes. Absol somehow managed to survive the blow, and got up, moving a lot slower now and continuing to hack half-heartedly at Seviper. However, the Fang Snake was not only equal to him but superior, and one last well-placed Poison Tail finished the Disaster Pokemon off for good.

"Absol, return. I forgot that the Poison would gradually sap your health. And I must admit that I thought you'd overcome Seviper's defences easily. But you did well anyway," Sidney said, kneeling down next to his defeated Pokemon before recalling him.

"Seviper, you were excellent! You beat two foes on the bounce! Fantastic!" Silver hugged the preening Seviper tightly, and the creature purred happily at the attention before Silver sucked him back into his Pokeball to face Sidney.

"I lost... but meh, it was fun anyway. I told you that you were lookin' good, buddy!" Sidney grinned, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "I've got no badge or anything to hand over, but I have got my own good luck to wish you. You'll need it to cope with Phoebe tomorrow!" He winked, shook Silver's hand and walked off, whistling to himself, hands in pockets. His supporters crowded around him as he sighed with relief; one Elite Four member down.

"You were great, honey! That man was a real tough one, and you still showed him who was the better Trainer," his mother beamed, hugging him.

"Now I know why I didn't have a chance against you. You walked all over that weirdo!" Wally said happily.

"I hardly think I walked all over him. I just got lucky in some cases, like when Seviper Poisoned Absol," Silver replied as they wall walked back to their rooms to apply some much-needed care to his Pokemon.

"Luck and skill combined to help you win today," Norman said wisely. "A healthy measure of both is necessary for a great Trainer,"

"I just hope it carries over to tomorrow. Phoebe... I'm sure she won't be a pushover if she's even better than Sidney," Silver said regretfully. He was a quarter through his Elite Four challenge, and already it was difficult. He remembered that against Will, first member of the Johto and Kanto Elite Four, he didn't lose a single Pokemon. If the Trainers here grew exponentially in skill... well, that was a worry for tomorrow, where he faced the Ghost mistress named Phoebe.


	47. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 47**

As Silver ascended the steps that led up to the battle-field where he was to face Phoebe, anxiety twisted inside him. He knew that she trained Ghost type Pokemon, which only had a couple of weaknesses without dual types: Dark and Ghost attacks would do super-effective damage against the creatures. He had several Pokemon with Dark type moves, but none would gain a same-type advantage from using them. If he couldn't beat them quickly, and had to match them for speed or special attacks, he wouldn't stand much of a chance. His musings were cut short as he entered the battle-field room, waving and smiling to his supporters before confronting Phoebe herself. She had tanned skin and short, dark hair that was adorned with beautiful pink flowers. Her dark blue top and skirt reminded Silver of what people sometimes wore on tropical islands.

"Hi! My name's Phoebe, as I'm sure you know. I learned to communicate with Ghost Pokemon when I visited Mt. Pyre in my childhood, and that's why I've become such a great Trainer of the Ghost type. D'you think your Pokemon can even lay a hand on mine?" Phoebe snickered, shaking his hand quickly.

"They'll give it their best shot," Silver replied with determination, and Phoebe barely concealed a sneer.

"Best shots don't always work. Let's see if your bond with your Pokemon can even come close to mine. I think we'll use three Pokemon each. Banette, I choose you!" Phoebe stepped back and released a black-skinned, floppy-looking creature with a zipped-up mouth. Silver was disturbed to hear from the Pokedex that it used to be a discarded puppet, which rose up through the power of grudges to search for and exact revenge upon its former owner.

"Sheesh... I thought I'd seen it all, but obviously not. Let's see... I've got three Pokemon with Dark type attacks, so they're the ones I'd better use. I'll start off with... Seviper!" Silver set the Fang Snake Pokemon loose from his Pokeball, and he looked brighter and more stunning than ever next to the grinning Banette.

"Banette, use Will-o-Wisp!" Phoebe ordered, and Banette summoned up a trio of blue, fiery orbs to Burn Seviper with.

"Seviper, Wrap won't work with Banette, as it's a Normal type move. Use Crunch anyway, for a super-effective bite!" Silver commanded, and Seviper lunged forwards, mouth wide open. On the way he twisted out of one Will-o-Wisp's path, ducked beneath the second, and... the third struck him on the side, creating a long, sizzling weal. Seviper screeched with pain and stopped his attack, recoiling from the strike and nursing his burnt body.

"Banette, use Spite!" Phoebe ordered triumphantly, and Banette's eyes glowed red as he danced around maniacally.

"Seviper, can you keep going?" Silver asked, worried about the Spite but trying to ignore it for his Pokemon's sake. Seviper wriggled around painfully, his entire body twitching, and suddenly the shred of burnt skin peeled away and floated to the floor; the first and well-timed example of Seviper's Shed Skin ability. "Yes! Good job, Seviper," Silver said, wiping his forehead as the snake straightened up, smiling. "Let's see how he likes a Crunch now, shall we?" Seviper started to launch forwards, then stopped, puzzled. He turned and looked at Silver, shaking his head quickly, and the Trainer slapped his forehead. "So Spite made it impossible for you to use Crunch?" he asked with trepidation, and Seviper nodded.

"That's the plan," Phoebe said in a self-satisfied tone. "Banette, Shadow Ball!" Banette created the same sizzling globe of dark energy that Silver had seen Gengar make many times before.

"Looks like we're stuck with Poison Tail and Glare. Jump up to avoid the Shadow Ball, then whack Banette with a Poison Tail!" Seviper leapt upwards, dodging the Shadow Ball before falling heavily back down towards his Ghost type foe, swinging his glowing purple tail to lay some serious hurt on the creature.

"Faint Attack!" Phoebe ordered in a bored voice, and Banette vanished, allowing Seviper to connect with nothing but the battle-field floor before reappearing behind him and slamming him with a shoulder-charge. The Ghost Pokemon cackled despite its closed mouth as Seviper rose up again, hissing angrily.

"Banette's no pushover, it seems. Try a Glare attack!" Seviper rose up and prepared to fix Banette with the full power of his serpentine enchantments. But before he could, Phoebe struck again.

"Faint Attack again!" Banette disappeared, allowing him to escape from Seviper's penetrating gaze and launch an attack of his own, landing on Seviper's head and scratching him with a volley of angry swipes. "Now Burn him with another Will-o-Wisp, then a Faint Attack!" Phoebe cried excitedly, and Silver was taken aback; she was giving so many orders in advance, that he wondered whether Banette would be able to cope. Unfortunately for him, the Ghost Pokemon seemed to have been expecting it, and was already pitching the three fire globes at Seviper.

"Seviper, fight them all off with your Poison Tail!" he ordered, and Seviper dissipated the fire balls one after the other with precision slashes with his glowing tail. However, his triumph was cut short as Banette attacked from behind yet again, grabbing the back of his head and slamming his face onto the ground. Seviper was looking disoriented as he got up again, his head swaying and his eyes unfocused.

"Banette, finish him with Shadow Ball!"

"Finish him? Seviper, make her eat her words with another Poison Tail!" Silver said, incensed, but Phoebe's assessment of his Pokemon's endurance seemed to be more accurate. Seviper swung his tail around clumsily, barely clipping Banette as the Ghost Pokemon blasted him with a Shadow Ball straight to the face. Seviper collapsed into a dead faint as Banette staggered backwards, growling; the Poison Tail hadn't done much damage, but it seemed to have miraculously Poisoned him nonetheless. "Seviper, return. You'll beat him from beyond the grave with your Poison, you mark my words. Kecleon, it's your turn!" Silver said, sending the chameleon creature out to finish off Banette.

"Kecleon's Colour Change will make him weak to our attacks, Banette. Use Shadow Ball!" Phoebe said excitedly, and Silver finally saw his time to strike back arrive.

"Kecleon, charge straight in and hit him with a Thief!" he countered, and Kecleon dashed towards Banette, shrugging off the ineffective Ghost type move due to his Normal attributes before slipping behind Banette, kicking him to the floor and pulling a berry from behind his ear on the way.

"Huh? Oh man, I forgot Ghost type moves wouldn't work... ah well. Banette, see if he likes a Will-o-Wisp to make up for it," Phoebe said, and bizarrely Silver's confidence and drive increased; he could tell she was getting dangerously over-confident, and he knew her defences would be at an all-time low as a result.

"Kecleon, stay where you are. Will-o-Wisp can't hurt you," he said flippantly, and to his satisfaction Phoebe snarled angrily.

"Oh really? Banette, make him eat those words and Burn Kecleon to a crisp!" As the Will-o-Wisps hurtled towards Kecleon, surrounding him playfully for a moment, Silver smiled.

"Faint Attack, Kecleon!" The Will-o-Wisps closed in on nothing, exploding against each other as Kecleon vanished. Banette looked stunned for a moment, and his mouth would have been hanging wide open if it could have, but a second later his face was being pushed into the dirt as Kecleon stood atop him, munching on his berry and not even looking at the Ghost beneath him. Phoebe stamped her foot in annoyance, and seemingly had an inner pep-talk with herself, but Silver wasn't bothered; the more time she took planning tactics, the more Banette's health was being sapped by Poison.

"OK, Banette, Faint Attack!" she eventually said, and Banette disappeared from Kecleon, although the Colour Swap Pokemon acted like he didn't even notice. Banette appeared directly behind Kecleon, battering him with a flurry of blows in his anger, but the Poison had drained a lot of his strength away. What was more, Silver's plan had worked; Kecleon was now the Dark type, and would thus be super-effective against his Ghost foes.

"This is it, Kecleon! Use Hidden Power!" Kecleon turned around smartly, barely a foot away from his heavily-breathing foe, and two needle-thin black beams sprang from his eyes, blasting right into Banette's red eyes and making the Ghost Pokemon sway on the spot, unable to look away. When Kecleon casually let the attack drop, Banette wasted no time in keeling over backwards, as if only Kecleon's Hidden Power had been keeping him upright all along.

"Banette, return. Kecleon's abilities were adequately used there, I must admit. Sableye, we'll see how he copes with you," Phoebe said with a certain amount of her old sneer back, and she released a small, imp-like Pokemon with gems for eyes. The Pokedex said it was Sableye, the Darkness Pokemon, who ate precious stones and whose type combination of Dark and Ghost made him the only known Pokemon without a single weakness.

"Not even one weakness, eh? This should be a tough nut to crack. Stay alert, Kecleon," Silver warned, and Kecleon nodded as he swallowed the last of his berry.

"Sableye, I already have a plan by which you can defeat Kecleon with ease. Start off with a Double Team!" In an instant, there were a dozen Sableyes, all identical but only one that was real.

"Kecleon, get ready to use Faint Attack," Silver murmured, and Kecleon nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Now, use Night Shade!" Dark, crackling bolts sprang from the many-faceted eyes of the Sableyes, and all thundered towards Kecleon... but suddenly he wasn't there. Using the Faint Attack's innate power of finding any foe no matter how well-hidden, Kecleon attacked the real Sableye from behind, launching a flurry of blows on the hissing creature as it leapt desperately to safety, its images fading as one.

"Ha! I knew that Sableye wouldn't have very good defence. If it did, with no weaknesses as well it would be unbeatable," Silver said happily.

"Your logic is mystifying to me. But Pokemon don't adhere to logic, much like humans. Sableye, Shadow Ball!"

"Kecleon, work through it and use Hidden Power!" Silver countered, and Kecleon got as close to Sableye as he could before allowing the Shadow Ball to hit him. However, Silver had forgotten that whilst Ghost type moves were not very effective against Dark types, they still did at least some damage; enough to change Kecleon's colour to a sombre grey. Sableye was blasted off his feet as a draining black thunderbolt arced from Kecleon's pressed-together palms; the creature's Hidden Power had changed along with his type. Sableye got up with a groan, rubbing his head, but Phoebe wasn't put off.

"We've got him right where we want him now. Sableye, Shadow Ball!" Sableye hurled another crackling orb at Kecleon, and this time Kecleon was thrown backwards helplessly by the super-effective blow. Still his colour was grey, and thus still he was the Ghost type, and vulnerable to further Shadow Balls.

"Clever tactic. Kecleon, use Hidden Power again!" Kecleon unleashed another dark bolt at Sableye, but the creature somehow managed to take the initiative, hopping aside and evading it with ease.

"Sableye, Shadow Ball!" Phoebe ordered, and both Trainers fell silent as a pitched battle began. Sableye was leaping around, hurling Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball at Kecleon, whilst the Colour Swap Pokemon stayed mostly still, trying to hit his opponent with his dark bolt. Black sparks scattered everywhere as several Shadow Balls exploded mid-air under the pressure of the Hidden Power, but Sableye hadn't been hit yet, and he still had plenty more to throw.

"Kecleon, Faint Attack!" Silver cried as the tension mounted, hoping to catch her by surprise.

"Sableye, you use Faint Attack too!" Soon yet another silent battle was in flow, with both Pokemon appearing for a split-second, before disappearing again after missing their elusive opponents. The Trainers only caught momentary flashes of their Pokemon before they vanished again, and both were anxious to see what was going on; Faint Attack would be super-effective against Kecleon, whereas Sableye had taken a lot of damage already, and probably wouldn't be able to survive another hit. Suddenly, both appeared at once, hurtling towards each other; they passed each other quickly, striking on the way, then stopped, breathing heavily, willing themselves to keep going after giving and receiving that last blow. As Silver predicted, both keeled over at once, Kecleon's skin changing several different colours before reverting back to its usual green.

"Kecleon, return. You did well against such a tough foe, and you beat Banette as well, so you can be proud of yourself," Silver said, stroking his Pokeball fondly.

"Sableye, return. It seems your defences aren't strong enough to cope with repeated hits after all, but you did defeat Kecleon. Thus, it comes down to one fighter each. An exciting finale, but one which you can't hope to win, rookie," Phoebe said, flashing him a mocking smile as she grabbed her last Pokeball from her belt.

"Rookie? I've beaten twenty four Gyms, the Kanto and Johto Elite Four, Sidney, and shortly you too. You think you can call me a rookie?" Silver replied, incensed. Then he realised she was trying to annoy him, and calmed himself. "Let's get going. Corphish, I choose you!" Corphish waved his pincers eagerly as he took to the field of battle.

"Dusclops, we will show them how truly undefinable and unpredictable Ghost Pokemon are," Phoebe said, releasing a dusty, mummy-like creature with a single large eye. The evolution of Duskull, it was a mysterious Pokemon with a reportedly hollow body.

"Corphish, this one's a pure Ghost type, so he'll be weak against Knock Off," Silver advised, and Corphish nodded, still waving his claws. Phoebe stood there in impassive silence, evidently waiting for him to make the first move. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "OK, whatever. Corphish, start off with a Knock Off, and see what Dusty's made of," Corphish scuttled forwards and leapt, swinging in his claw to batter Dusclops senseless.

"Dusclops, use Shadow Ball!" Phoebe ordered, and Dusclops effortlessly brought a dark orb into being, tossing it at the charging Corphish.

"Whack it!" Silver just managed to shout in time, and soon Dusclop's own Shadow Ball was being batted right back where it came from as Corphish used his Knock Off in a weird defensive way rather than attack. Dusclops staggered backwards under the force of the blow as Corphish landed close by, ready for more. However, the Ghost seemed a lot more durable than it looked, and was almost instantaneously back in a battling position.

"I didn't expect that, which ridicules my entire 'unpredictable' strategy... It looks like we'll have to get straight to it then, Dusclops," Phoebe sighed, then steeled herself again, looking determined. "Use Earthquake!" Silver was stunned as Dusclops leapt into the air, but not stunned enough to stop a counter-order escaping his lips;

"Corphish, jump and use Crabhammer!" Corphish hurtled upwards and slammed his glowing claw right into Dusclops' face, ruining his Earthquake and making him float down to the floor in temporary defeat as he regained his bearings. "Geez... unpredictable my foot, right Corphish?" Silver said, but this time Phoebe didn't bite at the bait.

"We'll show them, Dusclops! Slam Corphish with a Rock Slide!" Dusclops slammed the ground with his disembodied fists, and a huge wave of rocks was suddenly hurtling towards Corphish, threatening to crush him completely.

"Corphish, use Bubblebeam to slow it down! Concentrate it on a small area right in front of you, don't try and stop the whole thing," Silver explained quickly, and Corphish was soon unleashing a volley of bubbles, which slammed into and slowed down the rock heading straight for him. The boulder slid to a halt less than a foot away as the rest of the Rock Slide thundered around it uselessly, leaving Corphish practically unharmed.

"They might be clever, but it can't make up for such a deficit in power for long. Use Rock Slide again, more powerful this time!" Phoebe ordered, but she had unwittingly lit the powder keg called Corphish. The Water Pokemon snarled angrily at the 'deficit in power' comment, and before Dusclops could even bring down his fists, he was being battered backwards by a sharp volley of Knock Off attacks.

"Corphish, no! To really pulverise them, we've got to work together, OK?" Silver said, and Corphish reluctantly nodded, allowing Dusclops some breathing space. "Good. Let's hit Dusclops with a Bubblebeam!"

"Dusclops, Ice Beam!" Phoebe retorted, and the bubbles were frozen in mid-air by the frigid beam, globes of pure ice that shattered as they fell to the floor uselessly. "Nice one! Now another Shadow Ball, but be ready to dodge should Corphish whack it back at you again!"

"Use Bubblebeam to stop it this time, then," Silver said quickly, adapting to use the unexpected as fast as possible, and the Shadow Ball disintegrated before reaching its target. The battle so far had been unusual in that no real attacks had actually hit, with the exception of the Crabhammer. They were merely exchanging blows at the minute and wearing down each other's endurance. It was a plan Silver hoped to smash completely with another unpredictable tactic. "Corphish, Crabhammer!"

"Dusclops, hit him with an Ice Beam!" Phoebe said, and Silver cursed inwardly as he saw that the endurance game was still going on, with Corphish's claw pushing against Dusclops' Ice Beam. It was a tactic that favoured Phoebe simply because she was the one that had orchestrated it.

"Corphish, dodge to the side, then hit Dusclops with a Knock Off!" Corphish leapt aside, allowing the Ice Beam to speed past before battering Dusclops with a claw.

"Dusclops, Rock Slide!" Phoebe countered, and Corphish was thrown backwards by a hasty wave of debris that separated the two battlers, allowing the Ghost Pokemon to regain his composure. Again there was a stand-off as the two Pokemon faced each other in silence, recuperating their own vitality as much as possible whilst figuring out how to strike back and do the most damage. "I think that's a long enough wait. Use Earthquake, but be ready with an Ice Beam too!" Phoebe said unexpectedly, and Dusclops leapt upwards, his eye glowing with icy power as he stored up energy.

"Corphish, knock him off course with a Bubblebeam!" Silver said; he knew Phoebe wanted to get him close so she could try and freeze him solid, so he hoped to catch her out. However, the Bubblebeam was once again stopped in its tracks by the Ice Beam, and Corphish was hammered with shockwaves as Dusclops unleashed his Earthquake.

"See? That was a perfect example of how unstoppable a Ghost Pokemon can be. Dusclops, use Rock Slide!"

"Corphish, Crabhammer, quickly!" Silver ordered, and Corphish leapt forwards for the jugular. Silver's heart lifted as he realised Corphish was going to get there long before Dusclops could unleash his attack, but Phoebe had noticed too.

"Dusclops, Ice Beam!" she cried, and Corphish was caught out, struck full-on by the crackling blue energy bolt. What was worse, he was frozen in a block of ice in mid-jump, looking like a fly stuck in amber or a particularly odd piece of art.

"No! Corphish, try and break free!" Silver cried, but he didn't even know whether the Water Pokemon could hear him.

"Ha! Who's laughing now? Dusclops, let's see him whack back a Shadow Ball now, shall we?" Phoebe sneered, and Dusclops took his time to make one of the most powerful Shadow Balls Silver had ever seen, and it was aimed directly at the immobile Corphish. He could barely watch as it sailed towards the block of ice, shattering it on impact and slamming into the Water Pokemon with tremendous force. However, he was soon glad he didn't, as he witnessed what he deemed as one of the greatest comebacks in the history of Pokemon battles. Corphish rolled with the Shadow Ball, suffering its damage bravely before rebounding off the floor, rising up above a stunned Dusclops with his claw glowing as if the Ice Beam had never happened. Down came the Crabhammer, and out went the lights for Dusclops. Phoebe was speechless as Corphish waved his pincers happily, and Silver was mouthing silently, wondering what had happened until a well-placed Knock Off to the head snapped him out of it.

"Ouch! Er... thanks, Corphish. I needed that. As for you battle with Dusclops... well, it was quite amazing. What I mean is, thank you, Corphish. You were fantastic!" Silver said happily, before jumping and punching the air. "Yes! I beat Phoebe! Two down, two to go!"

"Corphish!" Corphish cried, leaping up with him and forcing him to duck another Knock Off.

"Corphish's tenacity overcame Dusclops' skill. It is a woeful day for Pokemon battles, I must say. But you win nonetheless. You must have a good bond with your Pokemon when they fight so hard for you. I'd like to see just how far that bond carries you. Not past Glacia, your next opponent, in my opinion," Phoebe said, sticking out her tongue at him before walking off.

"Humph! So much for being a good loser. But we won, we won!" Silver danced on the spot before remembering his supporters were watching.

"I wish Crystal had seen that," Scott said, amused, and Silver hoped he was talking about the battle rather than the dance.

"Tomorrow, you'll face Glacia, queen of Ice Pokemon. Combusken will be a fine choice," Norman said seriously.

"He always is. But today, I officially declare, will be known as Corphish Day forever more," Silver said.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily in response, leaping upwards and forcing everyone to duck as he waved around a celebratory Crabhammer.


	48. Chapter 48

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 48**

"Ice Pokemon should be a breeze. Combusken and Breloom, you both have an advantage, and you're both fantastic battlers. Glacia won't stand a chance," Silver said quietly as he ascended the steps on the third day of his Elite Four challenge. He didn't believe for an instant that this battle was going to be easy, but he thought it best to buoy the Pokemon up and give them some confidence. He had only ever faced one Ice Pokemon that he could remember with his current team; Juan's Sealeo, whom Breloom took down after a lengthy battle. He wasn't entirely sure how many Ice types there were to be found in the Hoenn region, so unless she had many creatures from other lands, Glacia should have a pretty small team. When he entered the battle room, acknowledging his loving supporters as always, he was confronted by a woman in an ornate purple dress, who was smiling benignly down at him. Her skin was pale, and her hair was white-blonde; she looked as cold and icy as the Pokemon she trained, apart from her smile, which was somewhere between welcoming and patronising.

"Silver. It is a pleasure to meet you," she said, curtseying and nodding her head.

"Nice to meet you too," Silver said awkwardly, nodding as well.

"You have put up a decent fight against both Sidney and Phoebe, which shows that you must be a Trainer of some calibre. I've travelled far and wide to hone my Pokemon, and since reaching Hoenn, I can count the number of serious challengers on a single hand. It would please me greatly if I could go all-out against you,"

"It would please me as well. I wouldn't want things to be too easy, would I?" Silver replied with a smile.

"If you truly hold that attitude, it will be a welcome relief from the norm. Are you ready to begin?"

"Yep. How many each?"

"Three, if that is agreeable. Sealeo, I choose you!" The blubbery creature hit the floor with a splat, looking over at Silver blankly.

"Sealeo must be the only Ice Pokemon in the Hoenn region. Breloom, let's go!" Breloom faced off against a familiar face, limbering up for battle with his flexible limbs and tail.

"Sealeo, start off with Hail!" Glacia ordered, and Sealeo shut his eyes, standing still and silent. Suddenly, from nowhere, a chill wind blew up, swirling around and bringing with it stinging shards of ice.

"This must be like Rain Dance or something, powering up Ice attacks as well as hurting you. Let's play safe and use a Stun Spore," Silver said, and Breloom pushed against the wind, releasing a stream of orange powder from the cap on his head. A lot of the Stun Spore was blown away or dissipated by the wind, but at least some managed to land on Sealeo's head and whiskers. The only question was would it be enough to Paralyse him?

"Sealeo, ignore it! Let the wind blow it away! Meanwhile, strike back with a Double Edge!" Sealeo shook off the rest of the Stun Spore before sliding forwards on his slippery belly, hoping to slam into Breloom with as much force as possible.

"Breloom, hit him with Iron Tail!" Silver countered, and Sealeo's charge was stopped as Breloom's glowing tail slammed into his face. The two Pokemon retreated from each other to regain some breath, but neither seemed overly damaged by the collision. What worried Silver was that the Hail was continually whittling away Breloom's health, so he realised he needed to put Sealeo to bed as soon as possible. However, Glacia wasn't about to roll over and hand him victory.

"Sealeo, Attract!" Silver groaned as Sealeo unleashed all the cuteness at her disposal, reducing the Grass Pokemon that faced her into a dopey wreck.

"If there's one move I don't like, it's Attract. Breloom, you've got to work through it, or we're finished! Trust me, she's not your type, in every sense of the word. Mach Punch her!" Breloom looked at him, smiling vacantly as the Hail continued to wash against him in a cloud of biting shards, and he slapped his forehead.

"Sealeo, Double Edge, while he's helpless!" Glacia ordered with a smirk. Sealeo shuffled herself into position, aligning herself for a thunderous charge, but a look of surprise crossed her flabby face as Breloom blitzed in for a powerful, super-effective jab right between eyes. As Breloom wagged his tail, looking for further orders, Silver realised that the Grass Pokemon had only faked being affected by Attract to get their guard down.

"Breloom, you're awesome! You even took me by surprise! Hit Sealeo with an Iron Tail!" Silver complimented Breloom quickly before seizing on his momentary advantage. Breloom leapt up into the air and somersaulted back down, whacking Sealeo for six with another glowing strike. Sealeo seemed hazy and distant, as if it didn't quite know what had just happened, but Glacia was looking focused and determined.

"Sealeo, keep going! If we can just hit him with one Double Edge..." she left the sentence unfinished as Sealeo jerked forwards, thundering towards Breloom with the force of a steam train.

"Breloom, jump over her! Then use Mega Drain!" Silver commanded, and Breloom just managed to leap above Sealeo's hurtling body, landing deftly behind her and zapping her with green bolts. The Ball Roll Pokemon seemed to be suffering as she twitched and groaned; so far, only her Hail had been successful in hurting Breloom, and now any damage that that had done was being torn out of her own health reserves. Glacia sighed, shaking her head as she watched Sealeo get battered by the Mega Drain.

"It seems we must play our trump card before I anticipated. Sealeo, Blizzard!" Sealeo broke free of the Mega Drain, bouncing out of range before breathing out a swirling gale of huge ice chunks; a hugely powerful move that also had the chance to freeze Breloom solid.

"I should've expected this to be in Glacia's arsenal. Breloom, dodge it!" Breloom back-flipped out of the way of the concentrated icy blast, but Sealeo didn't let up, making the Blizzard swirl, expand and divert itself like a living thing. The Grass Pokemon was hard pressed to keep evading it in more dangerous and difficult ways as the Ice attack closed in, making him work hard to tire himself out. Silver wanted to give orders to get his Pokemon out of trouble, but he didn't want to disrupt the creature's concentration and possibly result in a fatal freezing. Then again, if he didn't do something soon, Breloom was going to find himself unable to escape.

"Breloom, jump and use Iron Tail!" he cried. This was the time for a gamble; such a risky tactic that not even Breloom knew the full extent of it. The mushroom Pokemon hurtled upwards desperately, and in the middle of his customary somersault he was struck full-on by the Blizzard at last, and he was frozen in a block of ice. Sealeo bellowed in victory for a second, but her cries were cut short as the ice block hurtled down towards her, slamming into her and shattering. Breloom splayed on his back on the floor, winded but free, and Sealeo took a moment to reclaim her bearings. "Breloom, time for Sky Uppercut!" Breloom made a supreme effort and leapt upwards, bringing his fist up in a deadly sweep before pounding Sealeo's blubbery chin. Both Pokemon flew upwards as Breloom's punch completed its arc, and Breloom back-flipped in mid-air to land on his feet, still heavily breathing. Sealeo slammed to the floor with a thunderous crash, and her eyes were rolling helplessly in defeat as her Hail died down to nothing.

"Expecting Breloom to get frozen was a crude tactic, and one that wasn't in tune with Breloom's capabilities. You have tired him out too much," Glacia said in annoyance as she returned Sealeo, looking at the weary Breloom with surprising concern.

"Breloom knows I didn't want him to get hurt. Sometimes we have to do the unexpected to win. Return and have a good rest, you were brilliant. Your move, Glacia," Silver said politely.

"Indeed. Glalie, I choose you!" Glacia hurled a Pokeball that disgorged a floating, spherical creature that resembled a hockey mask with horns. The Pokedex said it used icy breath to freeze its prey before eating them alive.

"Nice. But I don't think we'll give him that chance, right, Combusken?" Silver said, setting loose the Fire Pokemon for a double advantage.

"We shall see how hot your spirit burns. Glalie, Crunch!" Suddenly Glalie was dropping like a stone, hurtling towards Combusken to crush him against the floor.

"Hit Glalie with a Double Kick!" Silver parried, and Combusken leapt up, twisting in mid-air so that his feet made contact with Glalie first, halting his charge and sending him flying backwards. "Now, Flamethrower!" As Combusken landed, he blasted a roiling jet of flame towards the disoriented Glalie.

"Glalie, Light Screen!" Just in time, a thin panel of energy sprang up between Glalie and the Flamethrower like sheet of glass, protecting the Ice Pokemon from the worst of the flames and allowing him to recuperate slightly.

"Shatter it with a Double Kick!" Silver ordered; Glalie was on the defensive now, and he had no intention of letting him rest.

"Use Icy Wind to blow him off course!" Glacia countered expertly, and although Combusken managed to flail one of his legs and break the Light Screen into a thousand pieces, he was separated from Glalie himself as a sharp gust of cold air blew from the side, blowing him away from the Ice Pokemon and sending him straight back to the ground. "Now, Ice Beam!"

"Combusken, Flamethrower!" Silver ordered, and a crackling blue beam was met with another jet of flames as the creatures battled on. Both Trainers could see that Glalie's Ice Beam was slowly but surely giving way to the Flamethrower, so Glacia commanded,

"Glalie, Crunch!" Glalie dropped down again, letting the Flamethrower pass overhead as he hurtled down towards Combusken.

"Combusken, jump to dodge it! The Double Kick!" Combusken bounded upwards vertically, and Glalie crashed into the floor. A second later, the Ice Pokemon was being further pounded into the battle-field floor as Combusken landed directly on top of him, dealing both kicks as once.

"Glalie, Icy Wind!" Glacia ordered, and Combusken was thrown off Glalie's back by another chill gust. The Ice Pokemon rose malevolently again, ready for orders as he shook off his injuries. "Ice Beam!"

"Combusken, dodge to the side, then Flamethrower!" Combusken rolled aside, and a section of floor was coated with thick ice as the beam missed. Unfurling himself and jumping upwards in one fluid motion, he blasted a third Flamethrower towards his floating foe.

"Glalie, drop to the floor! Then Crunch!" Glalie fell down like a lead weight, avoiding the Flamethrower and hitting the ground before rocketing forwards, catching Combusken with a charge as the Fire Pokemon dropped back to the floor. Silver could see that Glalie was rising upwards, carrying a dazed Combusken with him, and figured that the Ice Pokemon was going to go into a nose dive and pin Combusken to the floor.

"Combusken, Focus Energy!" he ordered, and Combusken closed his eyes, ignoring everything around him as he silently powered up. All eyes were on the Fire Pokemon as Glalie hit the peak of his rise, then reversed his direction and began plummeting to the floor, Combusken first. Suddenly, Combusken's eyes flicked open, and he looked to Silver, ready for further orders. "Double Kick!" Combusken's feet shot forwards, braced themselves momentarily against Glalie's frigid body and pushed the Fire Pokemon away. He was in an uncontrolled descent, but at least he wasn't beneath Glalie, who slammed ineffectually into the floor again.

"Glalie, keep it up! Blow Combusken out of control with an Icy Wind!" Combusken, who had at least managed to get into a good position to land safely, was blown upside-down by the sudden gust, and landed heavily on his head. He was splayed face-down, unmoving, not even twitching.

"Combusken, no!" Silver cried, looking from Glacia to his Pokemon. Was Combusken unable to battle? Or would Glacia demand to finish him off with another attack? Suddenly, his question was answered, as Combusken gave off a feeble groan.

"Glalie, he's still conscious! Finish Combusken off with a Crunch!" Glacia commanded, and Glalie once again hurtled down to batter Combusken.

"Combusken, dodge, then Double Kick!" Silver pleaded hopelessly, but Combusken seemed too out of it to even hear. As Glalie plummeted down onto his prey, Combusken suddenly twitched, then rolled aside as quickly as he could. Glalie looked decidedly angry and dazed as he hammered the unfeeling ground yet again, but all expression was wiped off his face as Combusken launched his Double Kick attack, sending Glalie hurtling into the wall with a crash. As if that impact wasn't enough, Combusken put the final kibosh on the Face Pokemon with his second kick.

"Glalie, no! I should have expected that Combusken was feinting. Return. Your Pokemon certainly have talent, to pull off moves like that without your detailed instruction," Glacia said, a grudgingly respectful tone in her voice.

"They certainly do. Combusken, well done! You were fantastic too. Ready to keep battling?" Combusken nodded and faced Glacia in readiness.

"And so I am reduced to my final Pokemon, whereas you still have three. Such a deplorable state of affairs would generally be a guaranteed loss, but not with my last warrior. Walrein, I choose you!" Walrein, the Ice Break Pokemon, was the evolved form of Sealeo and a powerful opponent.

"He's a dual Water and Ice type, so you'd better come back, Combusken. Breloom, you've beaten one of these guys today. Now get ready to take on the mother of all Sealeos!" Silver said, replacing Combusken with Breloom. Glacia smiled mirthlessly.

"Just what I expected. Walrein, use Sheer Cold!" At first, Silver thought the attack had failed, but soon he felt the temperature dropping gradually until he was shivering.

"Breloom, strike back with Sky Uppercut!" Silver said, but Breloom had keeled over backwards; he had fainted already! "Oh no! That must be one of those one-hit KO moves, right?" he said pathetically, withdrawing Breloom, and Glacia confirmed this with her grim smile. "Well, we couldn't do anything about it. A pretty harsh ending for Breloom, I must say; you didn't deserve to go like that, buddy. Zangoose, go! Use Double Team!" He got the order out quickly, as he knew one-hit KO moves were notorious for their lack of accuracy, and it seemed as if he released not one but a dozen Zangooses.

"A solid tactic. But not good enough to beat Walrein. Walrein, use Surf to destroy them all!" Walrein's mouth opened and gallons of water tipped out as the walrus-like creature fashioned a huge wave to crush every image at once, as well as the real deal.

"Zangoose, use Swords Dance!" Silver said, trusting the Cat Ferret Pokemon to be calm as the wave thundered towards him. Luckily, Zangoose pulled off the deadly dance, sharpening his talons in preparation for some powerful strikes, even in the shadow of Walrein's Surf as it rumbled ever closer. "Now, jump and use Quick Attack!" Zangoose and the three or so remaining images hurtled upwards, slamming into Walrein and knocking him off his wave. The beast thumped to the floor and allowed his Surf to disintegrate, but due to his thick blubber, the Quick Attack seemed to have been pretty ineffectual.

"Walrein, he's too weak to hurt you! Use Body Slam to show him a real physical attack!" Glacia commanded, and Walrein bounced upwards, ready to slam one Zangoose after another to reveal the real opponent.

"Zangoose, use another Swords Dance! We're going to have to max out to hurt blubber boy here," Silver said as Walrein pummelled the second Zangoose image into nothingness, and the other two creatures span on the spot again, raising their attack even higher. The final Zangoose image faded away beneath Walrein's bulk, and the two Pokemon glared at each other across the battle-field.

"Walrein, use Ice Beam!"

"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" Zangoose darted away from the Ice Beam and zipped around Walrein in a circle, getting closer and closer each time as the walrus-like beast struggled to keep up.

"Walrein, stop! He's too fast! Use Sheer Cold again," Once again the battle-field became frigid and cold, but Walrein presented too easy a target, and Zangoose slammed his head right between Walrein's eyes, making the creature grunt with pain and lose control. The temperature rose again as Walrein looked around for his nippy assailant, growling viciously. "Walrein, the time has come to use Surf again, and as large as possible! What good is speed when there is nowhere to run?" she asked Silver as Walrein began forming another wave.

"No good at all. What good is a Surf when blubber boy's getting Slashed to bits?" Silver countered, and Zangoose picked up on his tip, raking Walrein across the cheek with a powerful strike of his claws. The wave splashed into nothingness as Walrein struggled to regain his bearings. "Ha! Walrein looked all tough at the start, but we sure showed him, right?"

"Zangoose," Zangoose nodded, although he rightly didn't count Walrein out just yet.

"Walrein, Ice Beam! Just one hit will hurt Zangoose deeply, then we can finish him off!" Glacia cried, and Walrein blasted a crackling beam towards Zangoose.

"Double Team, then Swords Dance!" Silver countered, and the Ice Beam crashed through a fake Zangoose as the rest boosted their attack power to its optimum level.

"Whilst he's doing that, make another Surf!" Glacia ordered, and soon another wave was crashing towards the dancing Zangooses, wiping out any image that got in its way.

"Zangoose, finish off that Swords Dance!" Silver said, and the Cat Ferret just managed to perfect the graceful, empowering movements before the Surf hit home, sweeping away both him and the rest of the images in a swirling wall of water. Battered by the current and forced underneath to deprive him of breath, Zangoose was washed right over to the other side of the field, and when the Surf finally died down he found himself sprawled at Walrein's feet.

"Walrein, Body Slam!" Glacia ordered, and Walrein flopped forwards, crushing Zangoose beneath his hefty bulk and bellowing victoriously.

"Zangoose, are you OK?" Silver asked hopelessly as Walrein eventually slithered off, but to his surprise Zangoose actually got up, although his limbs seemed Paralysed by the pressure put on them.

"Hmm... it seems I underestimated Zangoose's endurance. Walrein, he's too weak and Paralysed to stop you now! Power up for a Sheer Cold, and make sure it doesn't miss!" Glacia said, and Silver wiped his brow with a trembling hand. If this hit home and defeated Zangoose, he'd have to use Combusken for a type disadvantage.

"Zangoose, our best bet is a Quick Attack! Give it everything you've got, and don't hold back!" Silver ordered; at least if Zangoose did go down, he will have hurt Walrein first, and given Combusken an easier time. However, Zangoose was rooted in spot by the Paralysis that froze his body, making him look like a twitching statue as he stood helplessly on the spot. The room grew colder and colder as Walrein amped up the power of his Sheer Cold, and Zangoose began twitching less and less, as if he was welcoming the coming unconsciousness. But today was not his day to go down in defeat. Just as Silver began to shiver with the cold again, Zangoose sped forwards faster than a bullet, a silver trail glowing behind him as he slammed straight into Walrein with all the force at his disposal. Walrein cried out in pain and the room's temperature shot up to normal again, a split-second before Zangoose slammed his head forwards onto Walrein's. Their foreheads connected with a sickening crack, and Walrein flopped down in defeat, the Swords Dance having lent the simple attack incredible power.

"Walrein! I believed that you were unassailable in that position, but I suppose Sheer Cold was unnecessary. Ice Beam probably would have done the trick. Return, anyway, and place any fault in the matter squarely on my shoulders," Glacia said lovingly as she pulled back the fainted walrus.

"Zangoose, that last head-cracker was a nice touch. Rounded off the Quick Attack nicely," Silver said, not wanting to appear any less composed than the Pokemon, who was brushing down his fur delicately.

"Silver, you have defeated me, even though I went all-out to beat you. You are a masterful Trainer, and I respect your prowess. Good luck for tomorrow, where you will truly confirm the fearsome side of the Elite Four with Drake the Dragon Master," Glacia said, curtseying again before taking her leave like a noblewoman.

"Thanks for the battle," Silver said awkwardly as she left, and jumped as Scott clapped him on the shoulder.

"Another great battle. Looks like they're actually getting easier rather than harder," the sunglasses-wearing man smiled.

"Yeah, right. Only a Dragon Master to beat; should be a piece of cake," Silver replied sarcastically.

"Drake will be a monumental challenge. You will have to be clever and clear-minded to overcome him," Norman said, shaking his son's hand warmly.

"A simple 'well done' would have been fine. But I guess Zangoose deserves it more than me," Zangoose smiled and nodded at Silver once, as if appreciating being mentioned, and they couldn't help but laugh at the calm Cat Ferret.


	49. Chapter 49

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 49**

Drake was an imposing man, as Silver had expected from a Dragon Master of the Elite Four. He was very tall and upright, with dark eyes, grey hair and a seaman's cap on his head. He wore a heavy black admiral's jacket over a bare torso, blue trousers and huge, scuffed boots. His hands were in his pockets as he surveyed Silver unblinkingly, and he said nothing until the challenger said,

"Er... hi. I'm Silver, from Littleroot Town,"

"I am aware," Drake replied in a biting voice. "You have done well to reach me. Sidney, Phoebe and Glacia are powerful Trainers, as befits their position. I like to think of myself as even better than them; as their senior, I know how to use Pokemon in incredible ways. I know the bonds that are needed, and the mindset the Trainer must have if he is to succeed. You are a child compared to me,"

"I may not be very old, but I've beaten a lot of Trainers before. I don't see why you should be so different," Silver retorted.

"I utilise the power of Dragons, who have no weaknesses other than themselves and Ice Pokemon. You have neither in your team. The conclusion is inevitable, but we may as well get it over with anyway. Five each. Shelgon, I choose you!" Drake released a globe-like grey creature with four stubby legs and two wide eyes that stared out from the depths of its shell.

"Shelgon's a pure Dragon type, according to the Pokedex. Corphish, I'll start off with you!" Silver cried, releasing the crab-like creature, who waved his pincers eagerly on seeing his sturdy foe. "Let's test just how tough Shelgon is. Use Knock Off!"

"Shelgon, Protect!" Drake countered, and Shelgon was enveloped in a green translucent shield which effortlessly blocked Corphish's claw and protected Shelgon from harm. "Now, Rock Tomb!" Shelgon head-butted the floor with such force that a mass of debris was hurled upwards from the point of impact, hurtling down towards Corphish and hoping to trap him.

"Corphish, dodge to the side and use Bubblebeam!" Silver commanded, and Corphish just managed to evade the tumbling rocks, pushing Shelgon back with an intense stream of exploding bubbles from his open claw on the way.

"Shelgon, Double Edge!" Drake ordered, and Shelgon galloped through the Bubblebeam, shrugging off the ineffective blows and slamming into Corphish with incredible force. Corphish's attacks were weak against Shelgon, and what was worse was that Shelgon's special ability prevented it from suffering any recoil damage at all from powerful attacks like the exhibited Double Edge.

"Are you OK to keep going?" Silver asked, and Corphish hopped back up, far from out of it just yet. "Let's see how he likes a Crabhammer, then!"

"Shelgon, Protect," Drake said in a bored voice, and once again Corphish's claw slammed against the impervious shield, not even denting it with his blow. "Now Dragon Claw!" Shelgon reared up on his stubby hind legs as the shield disappeared, and sent Corphish reeling with some glowing swipes from his forelegs.

"Vicegrip, now!" Silver said, and Corphish took his chance, ducking beneath another Dragon Claw and leaping above his opponent to fix his claws on his ridged shell. However, the Dragon Pokemon didn't even seem to feel the pressure as Corphish squeezed with all of his might, and looked to his master for more orders.

"Shelgon, use Double Edge to dislodge Corphish!" Shelgon charged forwards, building up more and more momentum before hurling himself back-first at the wall. With a crunch, Corphish was crushed between Shelgon and the wall, and slid down helplessly to the floor as the Dragon Pokemon moved off.

"Hmm... conventional tactics don't seem to be working. Shelgon's too tough, and he's got that Protect to save him from some real damage. Looks like we'll have to resort to the unexpected to win," Silver said, and Corphish waved his claws weakly, scuttling back into position in front of his Trainer. "Let's try a Bubblebeam!"

"Shelgon, Double Edge!" Drake ordered, just as Silver had expected. Once again Shelgon thundered towards Corphish, ignoring the bubbles that slammed against him.

"Use Crabhammer, Corphish!" Silver suddenly cried, and Corphish let the flow of bubbles cease immediately, swinging around his glowing claw to meet Shelgon's charge. The two collided with great force and ricocheted off each other, Shelgon rolling head over heels backwards whilst Corphish managed to keep his footing, merely being shoved back a metre or two. "See? That's what the unexpected can do. Now use Knock Off!"

"Shelgon, counter it with Dragon Claw," Drake ordered, and defied Silver's expectations; he had predicted that Drake would use Protect, and had figured out a tactic against it, but he guessed that could come later. If Corphish survived that long. Shelgon and Corphish were duelling viciously, claw against forelegs, but Silver could see that Corphish had the clear edge in the agility stakes.

"Corphish, go for the legs!" he ordered, and Corphish redirected his claw, sweeping Shelgon's back legs from underneath him and suffering a direct Dragon Claw for his trouble. The ridges on Shelgon's shell actually worked against him, as it kept him on his back, where his legs waved feebly. Just as Silver had hoped, he was stuck, and had no way of righting himself. "OK, Corphish, blast him with a Bubblebeam! But be careful not to knock him back onto his feet," Shelgon appeared to be weathering the Bubblebeam's effects easily, but his twitching eyes told a different story. It may not be doing major damage, but it was gradually whittling away his health little by little.

"Shelgon, Rock Tomb!" Drake commanded, and Silver was caught off-guard; how could Shelgon launch any attacks from where he was, especially one that involved manipulating the battle-field? Shelgon answered his question by rocking backwards and forwards, slowly at first but picking up speed and momentum quickly. When he was going quickly enough, he used the momentum to flip forwards, and in doing so slammed his forelegs onto the floor, sending another wave of debris flying towards Corphish.

"Corphish, Crabhammer!" Silver countered, and Corphish whacked the biggest rock straight back to sender with his glowing claw.

"Shelgon, Protect!" Drake cried, and the rock shattered as it hit Shelgon's shield, which disappeared a second later.

"Corphish, Knock Off!" Silver said immediately, and Corphish charged forwards, swinging his claw in for a brutal blow.

"Protect!" Drake snarled; he could see what Silver was up to, but was powerless to resist. Another green shield stopped Corphish's blow, but before it even landed, Silver ordered,

"Crabhammer!"

"Protect, then Double Edge!" Drake gambled, hoping to get back on the offensive, but the third Protect was weak and thin as they had both expected. Corphish easily shattered it, and went on to bludgeon Shelgon straight in the face. Shelgon staggered backwards, shaking his head, and it took at least a minute for him to finally give up the ghost and collapse into unconsciousness. "Shelgon, return. An obvious strategy... I should have foreseen it. But never mind. There is still plenty of the battle left. Altaria, go!" Drake said, releasing the familiar bird Pokemon. Silver slapped his forehead.

"I... _hate_... Altaria," he groaned, then did his best to focus and blot out his own prejudices to get another win under his belt. "Corphish, let's test Altaria out with a Bubblebeam!"

"Altaria, Aerial Ace!" Drake ordered without preamble, and Altaria dived down through the bubble stream incredibly quickly, slamming into Corphish like a bullet and sending him flying. "Now, Dragonbreath!"

"Corphish, dodge and use Crabhammer!" Corphish hopped away from a blast of green fire and leapt up to Altaria, battering it with a glowing claw. To Silver's dismay, Altaria merely shook the blow off, looking as strong as ever.

"Altaria, Dragon Dance!" Drake said, satisfied that Altaria had survived Corphish's strongest attack so easily. The air around Altaria began to warp and twist as the creature powered itself up.

"This is our chance, Corphish! Use Vicegrip to drag Altaria to earth!" Corphish leapt upwards again and fastened first one claw, then the other around Altaria's fluffy left wing, crushing it in his grip and doing his best to pull the Dragon to the ground. Altaria was a lot stronger than anticipated, however, as it managed to stay aloft despite the Water Pokemon hanging off it.

"Altaria, use Dragonbreath!" Corphish was struck dead on by the stream of green fire, and on top of this his grip was loosened by helpless Paralysis, and he crashed to the floor, unable to move a muscle.

"Corphish, we need to fight back! Use Crabhammer again!"

"Aerial Ace!" Altaria zoned in on Corphish and unleashed another devastating charge, but this was one Corphish didn't survive.

"Corphish, return. You battled hard and did me proud. Seviper, keep up the fight!" Silver released Seviper, and his lime-green scales glittered under the electric lights.

"Altaria, Dragon Dance!" Drake ordered, and Altaria once again began powering itself up to make short work of Seviper.

"Seviper, show him a Glare!" Seviper stared into Altaria's eyes, and the Dragon Pokemon was helpless to look away. Suddenly its Dragon Dance was forgotten and trailed off halfway through as Paralysis set in.

"Altaria, we must keep up the offensive! Use Aerial Ace!"

"We can't dodge this, but as he hits you, use a Crunch and Wrap!" Silver said, glad of an excuse to use the faithful old manoeuvre. Altaria battered Seviper in another dive, but Seviper was prepared, and his jaws latched around the Dragon's neck as the rest of his body set to work on crushing Altaria into submission. Altaria piped unhappily as it was forced to the floor, its wing joints rendered immobile by the Wrap.

"Double Edge, Altaria!" Altaria sped forwards and slammed into the wall, shaking Seviper loose in the process but suffering some heavy recoil. Unlike Shelgon, Altaria could be hurt by such damage. "Now use Dragonbreath!"

"Seviper, dodge and use Poison Tail!" Seviper ducked beneath the flames and sprang upwards, slamming his tail across Altaria's cheek, and the creature cried out in pain. "Now use Crunch on its tail!" Seviper changed direction and lunged again, this time snapping his jaws shut around the Flying Pokemon's delicate tail.

"Altaria, Aerial Ace!" Altaria sped forwards, wrenching his tail free, then jerked and changed direction, battering Seviper with another charge. "Now Dragon Dance!"

"Another Poison Tail!" Altaria's Dragon Dance was disrupted not by Glare this time, but a Poison Tail between the eyes. The Dragon Pokemon lost control for a moment, spiralling back down to earth, and when it touched down it seemed incapable of taking off again. "Paralysis! That's what I like to see. Try one last Crunch!"

"Altaria, conserve your energy! Fend him off with Dragonbreath until you are ready to fly again!" Drake commanded, and Altaria stopped trying to rise and instead spat out a stream of fire, making Seviper have to turn, twist and jump to escape some heavy damage. As Silver had expected, eventually the Paralysis spread to Altaria's whole body, and the Dragonbreath died down in an instant. Seviper didn't need telling twice, and unleashed a precision Crunch against Altaria's throat. All air was cut off from Altaria's brain and it fainted helplessly as Seviper scrunched himself up in victory. "Altaria, return. You did well. Flygon, you shall be my next warrior!" Drake unleashed a flying reptilian creature with natural red coverings over its eyes like goggles. The Pokedex said it was Flygon, an elusive Dragon and Ground dual type who used sandstorms to hide itself perfectly.

"Looks like Drake's gone for the type advantage. Just stay strong and do your best," Silver warned, and Seviper nodded once.

"Flygon, finish this early! Use Earthquake!" Drake ordered, and Flygon plummeted, slamming into the ground and sending out huge shockwaves.

"Seviper, jump!" Silver cried, and Seviper launched himself upwards as high as he could, letting the worst of the shockwaves pass harmlessly beneath. "Now, Poison Tail!"

"Flygon, Crunch!" Drake parried, and just as Seviper's glowing tail struck Flygon squarely in the face, the creature latched its teeth around the base of the sword-like appendage, dragging him helplessly up into the air.

"Seviper, now's your chance for a Wrap!" Silver tried to turn the situation to his advantage, and Seviper swung upwards, winding himself around Flygon's torso and squeezing with all of his might.

"Flygon, Earthquake!" Drake cried, in turn manipulating Silver's order against him. Flygon stopped flapping his wings and plummeted to the ground, crushing Seviper's coils beneath him and further pounding the snake-like creature with deadly shockwaves. As Seviper lay helplessly on the floor, tangled up and dazed, Flygon took to the air again, screeching victoriously. "Use Flamethrower!"

"Seviper, dodge it, then Poison Tail!" Silver ordered, but unfortunately Flygon was too fast. Seviper managed to leap upwards in a half-hearted effort at attack, but halfway his jump was interrupted by a stream of fire, which pushed him back to the ground and seared him mercilessly. Seconds later, Flygon was doing a quick lap of the battle-field as Silver sucked Seviper back into his Pokeball. "You did well. You hurt Flygon at least, and beat Altaria. Now I know what Flygon's capable of, and how quick he is, I'll send out the epitome of speed. Zangoose, I choose you!" The Cat Ferret crossed his claws in front of him in readiness to fight as he glared up at the hovering Dragon. "Use Swords Dance!"

"Flygon, use Crunch!" Drake said unexpectedly, and Zangoose's dance was interrupted as Flygon beat him back with several darting bites to the ears and tail. "Now, Earthquake!"

"Zangoose, use Quick Attack!" Silver's favourite tactic against Earthquake was soon demonstrated perfectly by Zangoose. The Normal Pokemon charged forwards and leapt up incredibly quickly, slamming into the creature from the side and knocking his plummet off course, simultaneously damaging him and ruining his attack.

"Flygon, let's try a Dragonbreath! We'll see if Zangoose is so quick when he's Paralysed," Flygon dived towards Zangoose, blasting a stream of green fire towards him.

"Zangoose, Double Team!" Silver ordered, and the green fire struck only an image, of which there were several as Zangoose pulled off the move. "Swords Dance, quickly!" The many Zangooses span as one, powering up and sharpening their talons.

"Flygon, destroy them all with Earthquake!" Drake commanded, and a huge shockwave spread across the battle-field as Flygon slammed onto the floor, obliterating image after image as it continued. Luckily, Zangoose was ready for battle by the time it reached him, and somersaulted over the shockwave with relative ease. Unfortunately, it was clear now which was the real Zangoose; the images had all been destroyed in the devastating attack. "Burn him with Flamethrower!"

"Zangoose, use Quick Attack to dodge! Then Slash!" Zangoose ran back and forth, the flames licking at his heels as he did his best to outpace them, and when Flygon least expected it he changed course and jumped upwards, twisting out of the way of a bad singeing and dragging his claws up Flygon's side. The Dragon Pokemon squeaked with pain and surprise, retreating slightly to nurse his wounds as Zangoose landed close by. "Just as I suspected! Flygon has good speed and attack, but not very good defences. Zangoose, Double Team!" Flygon was surrounded with Zangooses this time, and looked from one to the other beadily, searching for the real deal.

"Flygon, destroy all of them with Dragonbreath!" Drake commanded, and Flygon swept his green fire in a circle obediently.

"Zangoose, we need another Swords Dance here!" Silver said urgently as image after image fell beneath Flygon's onslaught, and the rest of the creatures began spinning on the spot, raising their attack power even further and not even looking perturbed by the approaching flames. When the dance stopped, and there were only three Zangooses left, Silver ordered, "Quick Attack!" The Zangooses all darted in different directions, and Flygon was momentarily stymied as the creatures split up and went their own separate ways. Unfortunately, his head was turned as the real Zangoose jetted upwards, landing on top of him and forcing him to the ground with a thump. Flygon wailed and waved its limbs and tail feebly, but Zangoose cut its cries short with the head-butt that was becoming something of a specialty of his. "Splitting up the Double Teams was a nice touch. And, of course, the Zangoose head-butt," Silver said as Zangoose hopped off his defeated foe, and the Normal Pokemon raised a claw in acknowledgement.

"Flygon, return. This is fast becoming an interesting battle, I must say. But Kingdra, you will show them how interesting we can be!" Drake cried, sending out a familiar dragonish seahorse, the evolved form of Seadra. Silver had fond memories of his last encounter with such a creature, where Wobbuffet bounced back its Hyper Beam and knocked it out in one hit.

"Keep it up, Zangoose. Start off with a Swords Dance to maximise our power!" Zangoose began his most intricate dance yet, but a derisive smile was curling Drake's lip.

"No power can match Kingdra's, no matter how much it is boosted. Kingdra, Double Team!" Suddenly there were a dozen Kingdras, all surrounding Zangoose, who finished his dance without even acknowledging them.

"Been here, done this. Zangoose, show him your own Double Team," Silver said, seeing the opportunity for some emotional disruption. However, although Drake was proud, he was too clever to be taken in by such a ruse, and looked on impassively as twelve Zangooses squared up to twelve Kingdras.

"A minor annoyance. Kingdra, Dragon Dance!" Drake boomed impressively, and all of the Kingdras started shifting on the spot, the air warping around them.

"This is our chance, Zangoose! Quick Attack the lot of them!" Silver ordered, and Zangoose and his images darted around, destroying all of the fake Kingdras and slamming into the original, sending him reeling.

"Kingdra, Body Slam!" Drake ordered, and Kingdra leapt upwards, flying down towards Zangoose and hoping to crush him beneath a body powered by the Dragon Dance.

"Zangoose, jump backwards!" Silver ordered, and Zangoose hopped directly back, inches away from Kingdra's head as the Dragon Pokemon slammed into the ground instead of his prey. "Let's go for a critical Slash, shall we?" Silver asked, and Zangoose nodded, dragging his claws as quickly and as powerfully as possible up Kingdra's face. Silver punched the air as Kingdra's eyes misted over, his snout limp and spouting tiny little bubbles as if he was waving a white flag of surrender. "We are the Kingdra-kicking kings, right buddy?" he asked, smiling victoriously, and Zangoose nodded with a smile of his own. "They never have good records against me. Maybe it's just something personal," the boy mused, thinking over his Kingdra encounters until Drake ruptured his thought processes.

"Luck. If that hadn't been a critical hit, Kingdra would be beating Zangoose unconscious at this very second. It seems I underestimated Zangoose's attack power. But my next Pokemon, my last Pokemon, shall show you what power is. Salamence, I choose you!" Drake, trembling with anger, released a huge, dragon-like Pokemon. Salamence was the evolved form of Shelgon, and loved to fly around, breathing fire and destroying everything in its path.

"Let's make it three for three, shall we?" Silver said brightly, and Zangoose nodded, not in the least bit intimidated by his massive opponent.

"Salamence, Flamethrower!" Drake barked, and Salamence breathed out a huge gout of fire.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" Silver parried, and Zangoose hurtled towards Salamence, flitting out of the Flamethrower's path when necessary.

"Dragon Claw!" Drake ordered suddenly, and just as Zangoose crashed into the Dragon, Salamence sent him flying with a swipe of his glowing foreleg claws. It seemed as if Zangoose had crashed up against a brick wall, and Salamence hadn't even been pushed backwards by the charge.

"We're in for a fight here. Try a Double Team!" Salamence looked unconcerned as a dozen Zangooses appeared against him, all flexing their sharpened claws.

"Salamence, Rock Slide!" Drake countered, and Salamence used the raw power of his tail to gouge huge lumps from the floor, sending them rumbling forwards in a deadly wave of rubble.

"Zangoose, Slash!" Silver said anxiously, and as he hoped, Zangoose hopped from one boulder to another dexterously, evading the Rock Slide's power and getting into an attack position.

"Dragon Claw, then Flamethrower!" Drake parried, and Zangoose's Slash was met with a second Dragon Claw, the two talons of the Cat Ferret clashing with the glowing forelegs of the impressive Salamence. As the battle of the claws ended as a draw, Salamence breathed out a jet of fire again, which caught Zangoose unprepared and pushed him backwards. As he got up and patted fire from his fur delicately, Silver realised he was still ready to give Salamence a battle.

"We may be down, but we're not out! Quick Attack!"

"Salamence, Rock Slide and Flamethrower!" Drake boomed, and Salamence created a wave of debris again with his massive tail, but this time the rocks were propelled and heated by a spreading Flamethrower. Zangoose stopped mid-run, caught off-guard; the rocks were too hot to leap on, so what should he do? Unluckily for him, he didn't have a chance to think about it for very long, as boulder after boulder slammed into him. His battered form was finished off with the following Flamethrower, and Salamence roared in victory as Silver recalled the Pokemon.

"That was a fearsome combo, so don't worry about it. You beat Flygon _and_ Kingdra, so you should be proud of yourself. Now I think we'll have Breloom," Silver released the mushroom Pokemon to face off against the Dragon, and the courageous creature didn't even flinch as Salamence roared loudly. "Start with a Mach Punch!"

"Flamethrower, Salamence!" Drake commanded, which was predictable in the circumstances. However, Breloom managed to duck beneath the fire and deliver a solid blow across Salamence's temple, which made the creature snarl and shake its head in surprise.

"Good one! Now, Iron Tail!"

"Salamence, Rock Slide, then Dragon Claw!" Salamence again created a thundering wall of rock that rumbled towards Breloom, and the Dragon Pokemon himself followed closely behind it, his claws glowing as he prepared to finish off Breloom after the Rock Slide had done its damage. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't about to do any at all. Breloom jumped over one rock, hopped onto another, and slammed a third right back at the charging Salamence with a precision Iron Tail. The Dragon was taken by surprise and roared, stumbling backwards as the rock shattered on his face.

"Fantastic! Mega Drain!" Silver continued, seeing victory perhaps in sight. Breloom pounded Salamence with green energy beams, but a double type resistance to the attack allowed Salamence to shrug them off easily, flapping his wings and bellowing in anger and rage.

"Salamence, Flamethrower!" Drake ordered, and once again Salamence breathed out his fiery stream, hoping to capitalise on Breloom's type weaknesses.

"Dodge and hit him with an Iron Tail!" Breloom leapt upwards and somersaulted over the fiery blast, slamming his glowing tail down onto Salamence's head. Again, however, Salamence seemed to shrug the blow off like it had never occurred. "What have we got to do to hurt this guy?" Silver said, disgruntled, and Breloom shrugged.

"Salamence, you are far beyond their meagre capabilities. Strike Breloom with a Rock Slide and Flamethrower!" Drake played his trump card again, and a wall of molten rubble rolled towards the mushroom Pokemon, pushed from behind by the powerful Flamethrower blasting from the Dragon's mouth.

"Breloom, Sky Uppercut!" Silver parried, and Breloom jumped over the Rock Slide as hard as he could, even flying over the Flamethrower to land behind Salamence before dealing an incredibly powerful punch to the face. The battle-field was silent for a moment as a shocked expression fixed itself on the Dragon's face, but it quickly changed to anger and grudging respect as the beast snarled, shuffling around so it faced the defiant Breloom. Salamence's tail whipped back and forth and he looked for a moment like he was going to strike, but then his eyes flicked to his Trainer.

"Salamence, Flamethrower!" Drake ordered.

"Breloom, Mega Drain!" Silver said desperately, but the green energy bolts were quickly overcome by savage flame as the Dragon unleashed his power. Breloom was pushed to the floor and doused in fire as Salamence stamped his feet, waved his wings and thrashed his tail in abject fury. The Dragon roared in mixed victory and rage as Breloom was recalled into his Pokeball, and Silver shivered; now Salamence's strength would be even greater and more unstoppable due to his anger. What he needed was the unexpected. A dark horse, if you will. And luckily for him, that's exactly what he did have. "Kecleon, I choose you!" The chameleon Pokemon looked up blankly at Salamence as if he were a slightly interesting aside, ignoring the beast's blatant anger.

"Kecleon? Such a creature has no chance. What is more, it is his last Pokemon. Salamence, hit Kecleon with a Flamethrower!" Drake said, his eyes glittering with impending victory.

"Kecleon, Faint Attack!" Silver countered, and the Flamethrower blasted against the floor instead of the Colour Swap Pokemon as Kecleon disappeared for a split-second. As Salamence stopped his attack, looking stunned, Kecleon appeared on his head, looking puny and ineffectual as he beat and kicked his foe as hard as he could. Salamence snarled out of irritation and took off, hovering in the air and dislodging Kecleon with a shake of his head.

"Salamence, Dragon Claw!" Drake commanded quickly, and Salamence dived down, bringing his forelegs back as his claws glowed with power.

"Kecleon, Thief!" Silver said, and as he had hoped, Kecleon turned invisible. Salamence slammed against the floor and actually tore at it in his anger as Kecleon leapt onto his back, pulling a berry from behind his ear and kicking the back of Salamence's head with nonchalant contempt. Salamence took off again, flying around agitatedly and roaring, sending of blasts of flame through the air and demonstrating his raw power. However, Drake was not pleased.

"Salamence, control yourself!" he snapped. "Use Flamethrower against Kecleon!" Salamence came back to himself and dove towards Kecleon, roaring and breathing out seething flames.

"Kecleon, dodge! Let it hit you just a bit!" Silver commanded. He was making up a strategy as he went along, but if he was lucky it was a strategy that would work. Kecleon obediently twitched aside from the flames, letting them sear his side and making his skin turn a deep red colour. He spat out a small ember and grinned; he was now the Fire type.

"Ha! I knew he would become the Fire type. Salamence, Rock Slide!" Salamence thrashed the battle-field floor again, sending a wave of rocks towards Kecleon to take advantage of his type shift.

"Kecleon, stay put! Survive it as best you can!" Silver commanded, and Kecleon stood his ground, covering his face with his arms to protect it from damage. It was a risky ploy, and he hoped that the chameleon had the endurance to survive. Otherwise, he was sunk, and he would lose to Drake the Dragon Master and lose out on the chance to face the Champion for a whole other year. He bit his lip as the rocks slammed against Kecleon one after another, but as the first one impacted Kecleon's colour changed to grey and pitted, like a boulder. The rest of the rocky tide he either weathered or shattered with his fists, facing Salamence with a grin and flexing his muscles like a show-off. Silver took advantage of Drake's momentary confusion and yelled, "Kecleon, Hidden Power!" Kecleon looked around, and picked up the biggest boulder he could find with strength born of his type change, as well as a healthy dose of desperation. Then, charging at Salamence, he slammed the boulder down onto the Dragon's head, shattering it but dealing a lot of damage nonetheless to the Dragon. Salamence, being half a Flying type, was weak against Rock type attacks; his tail swished once more, he let out a feeble snarl from beneath the boulder, and then he collapsed. He was unconscious. Salamence, the last of Drake's Pokemon, had fainted.

"Salamence, return. I... I confess I did not foresee that. We have been beaten again, old friend. Two challengers and two defeats, one after the other. Silver, you did well. Pokemon are wild, untamed creatures in the wild. As Salamence briefly showed you, they can be of infinite calmness or infinite wrath. They are power personified, and yet each have glaring weaknesses. A Trainer must hone their team into something which can overcome these factors, and they have but one chance; a virtuous heart. Without a virtuous heart, a Trainer cannot be truly great. I see now that you possess that in abundance. You have overcome the Elite Four of Hoenn, and tomorrow, the Champion shall be waiting. Good day," Drake tipped his sailor's hat to Silver, shook his hand and strode off without a word. Silver allowed himself a second of mind-numbing relief before grabbing Kecleon and hugging him tightly.

"Yes! Kecleon, we did it! You and me, we beat the Elite Four! All of us! And tomorrow, we'll be Champions!" He raised the chameleon Pokemon up and was rewarded by the creature turning invisible and grabbing his headband, placing it on his own head and snickering. But today, Silver didn't mind. He wouldn't have minded a Knock Off or even a Crabhammer, because today he and his valiant team had defeated the last of the Elite Four, and were ready to become the Champions of Hoenn.


	50. Chapter 50

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon (unfortunately).

**Silver: The Hoenn Adventure**

**Chapter 50**

"Silver, wake up!" Wally said urgently, shaking the sleeping boy in the bed next to his.

"Huh? What's going on? Is the League on fire?" Silver said sleepily, stumbling out from under the covers and rubbing his eyes with a yawn.

"No, there's someone here to see you. She says you'll know her when you see her," Wally replied anxiously. The green-haired boy had opened the door earlier after getting dressed and found a girl waiting outside with two Pokemon which he didn't recognise. She had asked to see Silver and thus here they were.

"I'll know her when I see her? Oh no; if it's Emerald, I may just throw myself out of this window," Silver said grumpily, then quickly got changed and opened the door. "Hello?" he said sleepily, looking around, but was almost knocked off his feet as someone hugged him tightly.

"Remember me?" the girl said with a mischievous smile.

"Tyrogue!" Tyrogue jumped and punched the air happily at the reunion, and Togetic squeaked a greeting to his former master and adoptive mother, landing on his shoulder and stroking his cheek lovingly.

"Boy, have I missed this. It makes me feel all nostalgic..." Silver said dreamily, and Crystal giggled.

"I can't believe you even considered another journey without me by your side. How you coped on your own I'll never know," she said.

"It's still a mystery to me. Anyway, how are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm OK, but I still have nightmares about that terrible day at the Sky Pillar. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that," Crystal shivered involuntarily. "I came over on the ferry to cheer you on. I knew you were challenging the Elite Four, and I thought I'd be here to give you a boost against the Champion. He won't stand a chance, whoever he is, with us on the sidelines,"

"I bet ferry service was a lot slower than Pidgeot service, right?" Silver joked, referring to the time Crystal flew into the Sky Pillar on the back of Falkner's Pidgeot to save him. She grimaced.

"Yeah, but I'm not too worried about that. The ferry was nice, and it had all sorts of pamphlets about the Hoenn region in. Did you know that Contests didn't actually originate here? They came from a far-off place called Sinnoh," she said knowledgeably, and the two of them laughed, remembering fondly their adventures in Kanto and Johto.

"We'd better go down to breakfast, anyway. The Champion's waiting," he said, then clicked his fingers. "Oh, right! I forgot! Wally, it's OK! Come out and meet one of my best friends," Wally nervously opened the door and walked over, waving at Crystal shyly as Gardevoir slinked behind him, ever-protective. "This is Crystal, remember? I told you about her,"

"Aha! I remember now!" Wally said, suddenly a lot more confident now he knew who he was facing. "So you travelled around Johto and Kanto with Silver, didn't you? It must have been great to explore with such a great friend,"

"It was. But I've heard that you're a good friend to Silver too. This is Tyrogue, and this is Togetic," Crystal replied with a smile, indicating the Pokemon.

"Wow! I've never seen Pokemon from other regions before! And didn't you have a Heracross? And a Snorlax, and Hitmontop?" Wally said eagerly. Crystal reddened slightly and shifted her clothes slightly so her three Pokeballs were concealed, unwilling to let loose any of the creatures inside.

"Um... yeah, but I left them at home," she said quickly. "Now, breakfast?"

"Sounds good to me!" Silver replied, and the three of them walked slowly down to the food hall.

"So is your old team here as well? It'll be good to see them all again. Especially Wobbuffet," Crystal asked.

"Er... they aren't, actually. I never thought about it before, what with all the nerves, but I can see why they aren't here now: my mum must've made them stay at home to do housework. It's the only explanation," Crystal had a faraway look in her eyes, and he knew she too was imagining Wobbuffet with a feather duster and wearing an apron.

"Silver, Wally, over here! Wait a moment... do my eyes deceive me? Is this some cruel trick?" Scott said as they approached, a smile dawning on his face as he looked up at Crystal.

"Nope. I'm the real deal alright. Could anyone else be as pretty, and yet so obviously strong?" Crystal replied brightly, and the three of them gave each other a high-five.

"Yes! The three musketeers, together again! It's been too long," Scott said, wiping a tear from his eye.

"So where are Mum and Dad?" Silver asked as they sat down.

"Over getting some food at the buffet, I think. But I got some stuff for you three earlier, so you don't have to queue up," Scott said, indicating a variety of food he had laid out for them.

"Thanks. Hi, Hypno! Still keeping that wild and crazy Scott in check?" Crystal asked, immediately taking something of everything, and Hypno gave her the usual thumbs-up. As they talked about what life had been like lately, being careful not to exclude Wally, they finished off their breakfast just as Anna and Norman sat down.

"Morning, honey! Feeling up to a battle... oh! Crystal, I had no idea you were here," Anna said, her voice momentarily dangerous before she smiled and Silver breathed again.

"I only got here this morning. I didn't want to be late for Silver's final battle, after all," Crystal explained.

"I don't believe we have had the pleasure of meeting before. I am Norman, Silver's father," Norman said seriously, shaking Crystal's hand.

"Er... hi. Silver told me a lot about you," Crystal said awkwardly.

"All of it good," Silver cut in quickly. "Anyway, don't waste time with pleasantries! Eat up!" His parents looked like they were about to scold him, but realised he was joking and grudgingly set about eating their breakfast as quickly as possible. When they finally finished, they made their way to the battle-field, splitting up at the bottom of the official-looking steps that Silver had to traverse alone. His spectators all wished him luck, and hugs from his mother and Crystal, before they went a different way to get into the stands. Silver took a deep breath and began to climb the steps. It was time to battle the reputed best Trainer in Hoenn for that very same honour. The Champion would have a range of types, probably fully-evolved, and very well-trained. He would have to be at the top of his game to be victorious. But strangely, he felt more confident than he had done two years ago, when he had challenged the Kanto and Johto Champion. He had grown immensely as a Trainer since then, and learned to get the best out of his Pokemon through many hard-won battles. Here was where he put his knowledge and skill to the test for the ultimate prize; being a member of the Hall of Fame, and his Pokemon with him. He pushed open the door at the top of the steps and entered the battle-field confidently, but his expression of shock mirrored his parents' and Scott's as he looked upon the Champion of Hoenn.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be. Didn't I tell you I'd be here first?" Emerald said. "I'm just amazed you got this far. The Elite Four are slipping. Heads will roll when I'm done with you,"

"Can't we just skip the insults for once? The horrible surprise is bad enough without constant aspersions on my character," Silver said finally, managing to get his jaw to move at last.

"The insults are the best part. Anyway, isn't this a great end to our working relationship? Friends and rivals, that's what we said at the start of our quest. And now we have the ultimate rivalry, and we'll still come out of it as friends rather than bitter enemies,"

"With friends like you, who _needs_ enemies? But whatever. Let's begin. The final battle between Emerald and Silver; the rivalry revival," Silver said, remembering his past battles and meetings with Emerald.

"Right... enough with the weird poetic stuff. This is an official battle, not a day of remembrance. As you've probably guessed, it's six each. I'll start off; go, Masquerain!" The hovering Bug type flapped its weirdly-pattered wings and squeaked as it focused on the opponent.

"Seviper, I choose you!" Silver cried, sending out the Fang Snake to deal with the flying foe.

"Masquerain, start off with a Steel Wing!"

"Counter it with Poison Tail!" Masquerain's wings glowed white as he plunged towards Seviper, and they clashed against the purple, oozing tail of the snake-like creature he faced. Once, twice, three times they bounced off each other before Masquerain gave up, retreating and flying just high enough so as not to be in easy reach.

"Use Fury Cutter, then!" Emerald commanded, and Masquerain plunged again, slicing at the serpent with his sharp-edged wings.

"Seviper, time for a Crunch and Wrap! Masquerain's small, so he'll be easy to weigh down. Then we can finish him off," Silver said, and Seviper managed to grab one of Masquerain's pattered wings in his jaws, dodging several Fury Cutter swipes on the way. Masquerain fluttered weakly as Seviper pulled him in closer, getting ready to encircle him in coils.

"Masquerain, break Seviper's hold with a Steel Wing!" Emerald commanded quickly, and Seviper hissed and recoiled as a glowing, silvery wing whacked him on the head. "Now, fly upwards and use Scary Face!" Masquerain rose upwards deftly and spread his wings wide, so they looked just like a pair of angry eyes. Seviper's eyes widened and he seemed entranced, his jaw dropping open as he shivered in fear.

"Counter it with Glare!" Seviper shifted slightly and pulled himself together, using the power of his own eyes to break free and try to Paralyse Masquerain. However, the Bug Pokemon was obviously stronger than it looked, as the standoff ended in a draw.

"Masquerain, time for another Steel Wing!" Emerald said, and Masquerain dived again, its wings glowing with power.

"Seviper, dodge and try a Wrap!" Seviper rolled aside as Masquerain's wings struck the floor heavily, and reared up behind the Bug, hissing triumphantly.

"Masquerain, up, then Fury Cutter!" Masquerain rose like a cork popping from a bottle, making Seviper miss and nearly tangle himself up, and then pounded him with another flurry of slashes.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper's tail swept up and batted Masquerain away, allowing him to regain his bearings slightly.

"Masquerain, fly up again! A little more... that's great! Now use Scary Face!" Masquerain flew up to a predetermined height, probably just within range of a real leap from Seviper, and spread out his intimidating wings again.

"Seviper, ignore it! Jump as high as you can and use Poison Tail!" Seviper judged the distance, keeping his eyes averted as much as possible from the wings, then coiled up like a spring. Flexing his muscles, he launched himself upwards, swinging his sharp tail around to batter the Bug Pokemon from the sky.

"Masquerain, Silver Wind, quick!" Emerald said, and judging by the smirk on her face this had been her plan all along. Masquerain gave up the Scary Face and flapped its wings quickly, whipping up a gust streaked with slices of silver energy that caught the serpent mid-leap, battering him over and over before pushing him back to the ground, where he landed hard.

"Seviper, are you OK?" Silver asked anxiously, and Seviper hissed weakly in response, preparing to go for round two. "Hmm... Masquerain's still hovering there, just out of reach. Let's see if a Glare can bring him down to earth," Seviper swayed sinuously, keeping his unblinking eyes completely focused on Masquerain's beady black ones. Masquerain squeaked, shutting his eyes and shaking his head to try and clear it as his wings started seizing up.

"Masquerain, use Fury Cutter! If you can just hold on a little longer, I know you can beat him," Masquerain spiralled down, seemingly defeated, but it caught Seviper unprepared with a hail of quick strikes which quickly built in power.

"Seviper, block it with Poison Tail as best you can!" Silver commanded, hoping that Seviper would pick up on his unspoken order. Seviper swept his tail left and right like a duelling fencer, blocking and parrying strikes as he slowly backed away, allowing the Bug free reign with attacks for now. As they made their way around the battle-field, Masquerain's blows grew stronger and stronger, and Silver was starting to get nervous. If Masquerain struck once or twice, he'd have the beating of Seviper. If the snake could just hold on for a little bit longer... He breathed out with relief as Masquerain finally stopped as if frozen, falling to the floor helplessly with his limbs splayed out in awkward positions; a victim of Paralysis. "Seviper, Wrap!" Silver said quickly, and Seviper wound his way around the helpless Bug, grateful for the good timing of the incapacitation.

"Masquerain, return. You did well," Emerald said unexpectedly, pulling Masquerain loose from Seviper's coils with a red beam of light from its Pokeball.

"Huh? Masquerain hadn't fainted yet," Silver explained.

"Thanks for the update," Emerald shot back sarcastically. "I could see Masquerain's health was getting low, and with that Paralysis he couldn't win. I was just sparing him some unnecessary pain. It counts as a forfeit," Emerald expanded on seeing the blank look on Silver's face. "Some people don't make their Pokemon keep going until they faint. Pokemon won't like you as much if you make them fight beyond their capabilities; remember, I've devoted my life to finding out what makes a team the best team in the region, maybe even in the world. I value Masquerain's friendship more than I value the Champion title,"

"Wow. Er... sorry. I didn't realise," Silver said awkwardly. "We're still buddies, right, Seviper? We just fight to the end because that's what we believe. Whilst there's still health, there's still a chance,"

"Seviper!" Seviper replied with a happy hiss, but Silver wasn't thoroughly convinced. Was he damaging his relationships with his Pokemon by making them fight to the point of unconsciousness? Or was he growing closer to them by demonstrating bravery and a never-say-die attitude? He reasoned that he and his Pokemon were still friends no matter what, and thus stuck to his original plans.

"Magcargo, I choose you!" Emerald said, breaking the silence by releasing the hissing, spitting lava Pokemon.

"So Slugma evolved, eh? Stay cool, Seviper. His Rock type characteristics will resist your Wrap and Poison Tail, but Crunch and Glare are good enough to be going on with,"

"Magcargo, use Flamethrower!" Magcargo blasted out a jet of fire, his molten body crackling and oozing.

"Seviper, dodge, then use Glare!" Seviper flattened himself onto the floor and the fire streaked overhead, then straightened up again, staring at Magcargo and fixing him in place with his dreaded gaze.

"Magcargo, Smokescreen!" Smoke spewed from Magcargo's mouth, hiding him from view and letting him shake off the effects of the prematurely-ended Glare. "Now, Body Slam!"

"This can't be good. I'm sure you remember he's got a Flame Body, Seviper, so too much physical contact is a big mistake. Dodge and use Poison Tail!" Seviper just managed to slip aside as Magcargo plopped back to the floor after a sluggish leap, then struck the snail-like creature across the cheek with the edge of his poisonous tail.

"Magcargo, Seviper's too fast to pin down. The best we can do is make his attacks less effective. Use Amnesia!" As usual, nothing happened except a gormless expression spreading itself across Magcargo's face, although Silver knew his defences had risen greatly.

"Seviper, we can get past Amnesia by Poisoning Magcargo and just letting his health gradually drop by itself. Use Poison Tail again!" Seviper struck once more, but this time Magcargo didn't even blink or flinch as it struck him.

"Magcargo, Rock Slide!" Magcargo suddenly pulled off a move that was incredible as well as devastating. Melting the ground beneath him to add to his own body, he hardened huge lumps of his magma-like flesh and hurled them forwards, one after the other. Seviper was as stunned by this as Silver, and subsequently suffered a crushing blow that sent him flying backwards. "Now, finish him with Flamethrower!" Magcargo followed up the Rock Slide with a sheet of roaring flame, which took its toll on the weakened serpent and knocked him out.

"Seviper, return. It wasn't your fault. But Slugma evolving was a mistake; now he's doubly weak against Corphish!" Silver said, and released the lobster-like Ruffian Pokemon to take on the Fire and Rock dual type. "Ready, Corphish? This is the battle of your life. Don't hold back anything, especially not that Crabhammer. Let's start off with a Bubblebeam!" Corphish opened a claw and blasted a stream of bubbles at Magcargo.

"Magcargo, Smokescreen!" Emerald parried, and Magcargo was quickly hidden within a thick bank of black fog. Silver could hear him slithering around inside, and knew that he was evading the Bubblebeam as best he could.

"Corphish, stop. Don't waste your power. Wait for them to..." Silver started, then he realised who he was talking to. Corphish was a naturally aggressive Pokemon who didn't know what the word 'patience' meant. He was best used on the attack, and when he did fight, he battered everything within reach. "No, don't listen to me, Corphish. Bubblebeam to your heart's content. You'll hit him eventually," Corphish looked amazed, but eagerly sent out the Bubblebeam again, sweeping it back and forth as he searched for Magcargo.

"I'm impressed. It looks like you're starting to understand your Pokemon after all. Magcargo, Amensia, then Body Slam!" The sound of slithering stopped as Magcargo stood still, powering himself up to resist the Bubblebeam as much as possible. Then, when the time was right, he launched himself out of the cloud, heading straight for his Water opponent and doing his best to ignore the still-painful bubbles that swarmed around him every inch of the way.

"Corphish, Crabhammer!" Silver cried, and Corphish swung his glowing claw like a mace before slamming it into the approaching Fire Pokemon as hard as he could. Magcargo hurtled backwards, crying out with pain and landing in a big, unrecognisable gloop of lava. "Yes! Amnesia doesn't protect him from physical attacks!" Silver said.

"Corphish!" Corphish cried happily, but it seemed their celebrations were premature, as Magcargo was pulling himself back together. Soon, it looked as if the Crabhammer had never happened, although Magcargo had certainly been damaged by it.

"Magcargo, keep Corphish out of the way with a Rock Slide while I think of a plan," Emerald said, thinking hard as Magcargo sent a volley of rocks towards Corphish.

"Corphish, Knock Off!" Silver said, and Corphish slammed the front boulder so hard with his claw that it flew right back where it came from, shattering several other rocks on the way and leaving Corphish unharmed. The rock landed directly on top of Magcargo, but instead of fainting, the Fire Pokemon melted it and used it to reconstitute its body.

"Good one, Magcargo! Let's see if he can bash back a Flamethrower, shall we?" Magcargo blasted Corphish with flames, pushing him backwards as he tried to brave the fire.

"Corphish, time for another Crabhammer!" Silver said, and Corphish held his gleaming claw in front of him, using it like a shield as he pressed forwards through the fiery jet. Magcargo looked stunned as Corphish loomed up in front of him, and his Flamethrower died as the Crabhammer whacked him on the top of the head so hard that it nearly exploded into a thousand gobbets of lava. Pooling out in defeat, Magcargo hissed and spat weakly as Emerald returned him.

"Magcargo, return. You beat Seviper easily and gave Corphish a good fight. I'm sorry you had to faint. Tropius, take his place!" The flying Grass type Pokemon emerged, screeching and flapping its leafy wings.

"OK Corphish, Tropius has the advantage. But don't worry, I've overcome type disadvantages before. I just wish I could remember when..."

"We've got this one in the bag before we've even begun, Tropius. Use Magical Leaf!" Tropius flapped its wings and sent out a cascade of glowing, sharp-edged leaves that flew unerringly towards Corphish like arrows.

"Corphish, we can't dodge this, so use Knock Off to try and defend yourself," Silver improvised, and Corphish used his claw like a shield, deflecting some, destroying others and suffering the rest.

"Strategies like that won't save you for long. Corphish is poor defensively, so he can't stand up to super-effective hits. Tropius, get up in the air and use Razor Leaf!" Tropius flapped upwards, keeping his huge bulk aloft with his four leafy wings, and as he flapped them a volley of slicing leaves hurtled down towards Corphish. They were more powerful than the Magical Leaf, but they could be dodged.

"Corphish, to the right! Then jump and use Vicegrip!" Silver smiled with relief as he saw that Emerald was stunned at his tactic. Only someone crazy would order a frontal attack with a disadvantage. That someone was Silver, and Corphish was the all-too-willing assailant that managed to slip away from the Razor Leaves and fasten his claws around Tropius' right foreleg. Tropius squawked with pain and tried to shake Corphish loose, but the Ruffian Pokemon was far too tenacious to get rid of.

"I thought you'd aim for a more intelligent spot, but there you go. Tropius, Stomp!" Emerald said, far too confidently for Silver's liking. Tropius plummeted to the ground and made Silver's tactic backfire, crushing Corphish beneath the bulky leg that he gripped and doing some major damage before the lobster-like creature fought his way loose. Silver could see that Corphish was flagging, and knew the end was near. "Tropius, Magical Leaf!" Emerald cried.

"Corphish, Crabhammer!" Silver yelled for maximum impact, and Corphish charged forwards crazily, ducking and dodging the leaves where he could and smashing the rest aside with his glowing claw before hammering Tropius right across the face. Tropius screeched and stumbled backwards, a perfect target, but the Magical Leaves which had been dodged slammed into Corphish from behind, knocking him out for the count.

"Haha! Great job, Tropius!" Emerald cried, and Tropius hummed happily.

"Corphish, return. You were very brave and just as suicidal as I'd expect. That last Crabhammer will live on in both of our memories, I'm sure. OK, we won't have a type advantage, but I'm certain you'll pull it off; go, Zangoose!" Zangoose squared up to his flying foe, ready to fight to the end.

"Tropius, Zangoose shouldn't be too much bother. The only one we need to look out for is his Torchic evolution, and even then your Flying characteristics will give you an advantage," Emerald said confidently.

"Don't listen to her, Zangoose. Tropius is simplicity itself once you know what his fighting style is," Silver invented, but luckily Zangoose looked slightly more confident. "Use Double Team to start off,"

"Champions don't allow silly mistakes, Silver," Emerald warned as a dozen Zangooses appeared, hiding the real one from view. "Tropius, Magical Leaf!" Silver cursed himself as the flurry of leaves sought out the real Zangoose with ease, destroying the images on the way before slamming Zangoose to the floor.

"Sorry, Zangoose. I forgot about that. Let's start off with a Swords Dance, then," Zangoose started powering himself up again, hoping to repay the Magical Leaf with interest.

"Tropius, Wing Attack!" Emerald said, and Tropius dove towards Zangoose with his wings glowing, ready for a quadruple strike to disrupt the Cat Ferret's concentration.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack to dodge!" Silver ordered, and as Zangoose calmly finished his dance, he was on the other side of the battle-field in the blink of an eye. Tropius slammed onto the ground and confusion spread across his features as he looked helplessly around. "Now, Swords Dance again!"

"Tropius, behind you!" Emerald said impatiently. "Razor Leaf!" Tropius turned around, spotted his rotating foe and swept a volley of sharp leaves towards him, hoping for a deadly critical hit. However, Zangoose jumped up and let the leaves bury themselves in the battle-field floor beneath him before finishing off his Swords Dance with a graceful somersault. "Tropius, Magical Leaf! We need to keep Zangoose at bay!"

"Zangoose, no amount of Quick Attack will dodge them, so Slash 'em up!" Zangoose used his incredible reflexes to actually slice up the Magical Leaves in mid-air as they sailed towards him, his claws a flurry of motion. The Cat Ferret glared at Tropius as the remains of the leaves floated delicately to the floor, as if to say 'Next I'm coming for you!'.

"Tropius, stay focused. Razor Leaf, then Magical Leaf!" Emerald commanded, to presumably take out the chance of Zangoose dodging with Quick Attack. The Razor Leaves would also be harder to Slash in mid-air, so it was up to Silver to think up a way for Zangoose to survive.

"Zangoose, Double Team, then Slash!" he ordered, and the Razor Leaves hurtled straight through a fake Zangoose as the usual dozen images appeared. The Magical Leaves that followed met the same fate as before as the Cat Ferret ripped them to shreds with his claws. "Great! Now, Swords Dance!"

"Tropius, Stomp, whilst he prepares!" Emerald said, and there was a certain note of desperation in her voice. Tropius flapped over, but he noticed the tone of Emerald's command, and was hesitant in approaching. So hesitant, in fact, that he unintentionally allowed Zangoose the time to finish off his third and final Swords Dance. Zangoose easily side-stepped the Stomp and looked to his master.

"Zangoose, Slash!" Silver commanded with satisfaction.

"Tropius, dodge and use Razor Leaf!" Emerald cried, and Tropius managed to throw himself backwards, only getting grazed by the attack before collecting his bearings and preparing to send out a hail of leaves.

"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" Silver said, and Zangoose easily danced aside from the Razor Leaves before hurtling into the attack like a furry comet. One head-butt later, Tropius was being recalled into his Pokeball, defeated.

"Tropius, you did your best. I appreciate that. Let's see... Zangoose is a Normal type. Seeing as I don't have any Fighting types, I can't have an advantage, so I'll go for someone a bit different. Clamperl, I choose you!" An odd clam-like creature emerged from its Pokeball, with a large pink pearl in the centre that constituted as its head.

"This guy doesn't look too tough. Just keep on your guard and we'll beat him easily," Silver said, but Zangoose didn't look convinced.

"Clamperl, start off with Iron Defence!" Emerald ordered, and Clamperl snapped its shell shut, powering up its defence hugely.

"Zangoose, this doesn't look good. Start off with a Slash, because I think Clamperl's defence is only going to get higher and higher," Silver said anxiously, and Zangoose obediently approached, raking his talons up Clamperl's unfeeling shell and achieving little more than a hurt hand.

"Clamperl, keep up the Iron Defence! Attack can come later," Emerald said smugly, and Clamperl's shell stayed tightly shut as he raised his defence levels even higher.

"I know what to do, Zangoose. Just hang back and use Double Team. All will be revealed," Silver assured the Normal Pokemon as a doubtful expression appeared on his face. Zangoose obediently stepped back away from Clamperl, and in an instant Clamperl was surrounded by Zangooses. However, it seemed completely ineffectual as its shell was still shut.

"Iron Defence," Emerald said in a sing-song voice, and there was silence on the battle-field as Clamperl completed its moves and finally opened again, blinking against the light.

"Quick Attack!"

"Clamp!" the two Trainers cried at the same time, and although Zangoose managed to barge his shoulder right into Clamperl's 'face', he was subsequently trapped as Clamperl's shell snapped shut around his torso, so only his tail and legs were visible. The Water Pokemon exerted more pressure and Zangoose hissed in pain, writhing around to try and get free.

"Zangoose, Slash!" Silver said' seeing his opportunity, and Zangoose's claws sliced at Clamperl's vulnerable pearl head as the Water Pokemon unwittingly allowed him access.

"Clamperl, Water Pulse!" Emerald parried, annoyed at her own short-sightedness, and Zangoose was blasted away by a concentrated jet of water as Clamperl tried to regroup. "Now, Ice Beam!"

"Zangoose, Double Team!" Silver ordered, but the Water Pulse had actually succeeded in Confusing even the Calm Zangoose. The Normal Pokemon tried to create images of itself, but ended up scratching itself with talons that had been hugely powered-up by Swords Dance. This backfiring of Swords Dance, Silver felt, was a bigger contribution to his defeat than the knock-out Ice Beam that forced him to return the creature. "Don't worry, Zangoose. Iron Defence is impossible to overcome when you only have physical attacks. But I must admit, you're a feisty and skilful Cat Ferret. You were brilliant. I think this moment calls for Breloom,"

"Breloom!" Breloom cried, wagging his tail before focusing on Clamperl.

"Don't underestimate him, Breloom. He's tougher than he looks. Just keep on your toes," Breloom nodded as Silver advised him, then let Emerald take the lead.

"Clamperl, Breloom may have great attack power, but it's useless now. Your defence is way too high, so let's finish him off quickly. Use Ice Beam!"

"Breloom, dodge it with Mach Punch!" Silver ordered, and Breloom ducked the crackling white beam before speeding forwards, slamming his fist against Clamperl's shell. His expression immediately froze, and he staggered backwards, cradling his poor fist.

"Some Breloom he is. Clamperl, Clamp!" Clamperl flipped its shell out underneath it, propelling itself towards Breloom as quickly as possible. Silver knew Breloom could dodge it, but he preferred to see what would happen when the Grass Pokemon was squeezed too hard. Clamperl's shell snapped shut on Breloom and tried to crush him, and Emerald smiled in victory, thinking Silver had been too slow to give the order. Her smile slipped, however, as a spurt of purple spores burst unwittingly from the cap on Breloom's head, floating down and engulfing Clamperl. The Water Pokemon squeaked with surprise and pain, falling off Breloom and sneezing as the Poison Effect Spore took hold. "Clamperl, no! You meant for this to happen," she snarled at Silver.

"Obviously. Breloom, Mega Drain!" Breloom hopped back, away from Clamperl, and sucked away the creature's energy with an array of crackling green energy bolts. Soon he had replaced all the damage done by Clamp and more besides as Clamperl sneezed, coughed and nearly fell unconscious several times.

"Clamperl, can you keep going?" Emerald asked in concern, and Clamperl sneezed loudly again, letting his shell snap shut to shield him from the cruel world outside. "Return, then. I'll heal that Poison right up after I win this battle. OK, Ludicolo, set Breloom straight for me!" The girl recalled Clamperl and replaced it with what looked like a dancing, duck-billed pineapple wearing a leafy sombrero.

"The evolved form of Lombre, I'm guessing. Let's see what the Pokedex has to say..." Apparently, Ludicolo was the Carefree Pokemon who couldn't resist dancing when it heard a happy tune. "How weird can you get? Breloom, d'you reckon you can handle this?" Breloom nodded and wagged his tail in preparation.

"Ludicolo, start off with Swords Dance!" Emerald said.

"Uh oh. Stop him with a Mach Punch!" Silver said as Ludicolo started up his dance, which was a lot jollier than Zangoose's but just as powerful. Luckily, Breloom got there quickly and pounded his flat face with a fist, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Hit him with Giga Drain!" Emerald commanded, and Breloom was soon being pounded by light green energy bolts.

"Not a good choice, seeing as Breloom's a Grass type too. Breloom, strike back with your own Mega Drain!" The battles of the Drains began as Breloom pushed back Ludicolo's attack with a more concentrated blast of his own. However, the Carefree Pokemon was seemingly up to the challenge, as it intensified its own attack and ably defended itself. It looked like gridlock was on the cards again.

"Ludicolo, Surf!" Emerald suddenly said, and Ludicolo hopped backwards, avoiding the Mega Drain and spewing out gallons of water.

"Breloom, stand back. This is going to get brutal," Silver advised, and Breloom jumped back too, watching Ludicolo forming his wave with beady eyes. Eventually, a crashing, frothing torrent was pouring towards him, with Ludicolo perched on top. "Now, Sky Uppercut!"

"Ludicolo, roll with it and use Swords Dance!" Emerald said, revealing what had been her plan all along. As Breloom leapt upwards, slamming his fist under Ludicolo's duck-billed chin and throwing him off his wave, the Carefree Pokemon hurled himself backwards and landed perfectly, spinning on the spot and hopping from foot to foot happily. The wave disintegrated, but Emerald hadn't planned on Surf hitting home anyway.

"His attack power just rose greatly, Breloom, so stay alert. Try an Iron Tail!"

"Ludicolo, keep up the Swords Dance as much as you can! Survive this next blow and we'll be on easy street!" Emerald encouraged, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Breloom's glowing tail as it slammed between Ludicolo's eyes. The happy expression on Ludicolo's face faltered, and his dance stopped for a split-second, but then he continued, finishing off with some spectacular jazz-hands and grinning.

"Oh no... One attack from him will be a lot of hurt, Breloom, so stand back and get ready for some agility. Goodness knows we're going to need it," Silver muttered, although Breloom didn't look perturbed.

"Ludicolo, fantastic! We'll have a celebration party later, with all of your favourite music," Emerald beamed.

"Ludicolo!" Ludicolo cried happily, treating them to another short routine.

"It'll be a condolences party rather than a celebration one. Breloom, Hit him with Mach Punch, then get ready to dodge!"

"Ludicolo, Return!" Emerald said triumphantly, and Silver was taken aback. Return? What was that? Was she recalling Ludicolo without any reason, or was it an attack? Defensive? Offensive? Status condition? Any particular type? However, luckily Breloom was more in tune than him, and after landing a decent punch to the forehead he literally bent over backwards to dodge a flurry of blows, each quicker than the last.

"So it must be a Fighting or Normal type move! Breloom, Iron Tail his legs!" Breloom flipped forwards again and swept his glowing tail around, sending Ludicolo crashing to the floor.

"Ludicolo, Return again!" Ludicolo bounced back up with incredible swiftness, and this time Breloom was too stunned to dodge as blow after blow hammered him straight to the face. Soon Ludicolo's fists were a blur, but Breloom had already sprawled backwards in defeat.

"Ludicolo!" Ludicolo cried, and danced happily again as Breloom got recalled.

"Breloom, I'm really sorry. I had no idea what Return was. You beat Clamperl, though; Poison was ideal for the situation, so well done," Silver said, devastated by Breloom's comparatively easy defeat.

"Return is only at its full power if the Pokemon using it is really happy with its Trainer. Me and Ludicolo are great friends, unless you haven't already worked that out," Emerald said smugly.

"Kecleon, I choose you! If anyone is as laid-back as Ludicolo, it's you," Silver ignored her and released the Colour Swap Pokemon, who snickered at Ludicolo. Soon both Pokemon were laughing together. "Ironic. I bet they'd be great friends outside of battle," Silver sighed.

"Yeah... but unfortunately, we're still in a battle. Ludicolo, Surf!" Ludicolo spat out a huge amount of water again, fashioning it into a wave.

"I can see where she's going with this. Kecleon, use Faint Attack!" Kecleon appeared on top of Ludicolo's sombrero, and leaned forwards, hanging in front of his face and pounding the creature with a flurry of quick blows. The wave fell flat again and Emerald was left to wonder how best to hit her foe. "Now use Thief!" Silver took his advantage, and Kecleon pulled a berry from beneath Ludicolo's sombrero. Silver slapped his forehead as the chameleon split it in half and shared it with Ludicolo, who smiled happily and demonstrated a patented dance of joy for his opponent. "He's the enemy! Don't help him!" he groaned, but Kecleon just looked confused at his master's annoyance.

"Ludicolo, show him a Swords Dance rather than a happy dance," Emerald said, cunningly getting the most out of their temporary friendship and allowing Ludicolo to perform a rather more deadly dance for the chameleon.

"Kecleon, hit him with Hidden Power!" Unfortunately, Ludicolo was able to finish his dance before being blasted backwards by a volley of shining dots. Now one blow from Return would be enough to even knock out the healthy Kecleon.

"Ludicolo, Return!" Emerald said, seeing the chance for victory loom in front of her. Her original plan had been to change Kecleon's type to Water, then hit him with Giga Drain, but keeping his type as Normal seemed to be working fine too.

"Kecleon, Faint Attack!" Kecleon vanished and Ludicolo's punches hit nothing but air as Kecleon reappeared behind him, kicking him to the floor and grinning. Ludicolo actually laughed at his own predicament as he got up, but he didn't pull his punches when Emerald cried,

"One last Return!" It was a rather ignoble end for Kecleon, Silver thought; after helping him get so many victories in his journey with his amazing abilities, his final battle before entering the Hall of Fame was to end in a knock-out, his guard down as he tittered along with his attacker.

"That was a low trick. Kecleon wasn't even trying to defend himself there," Silver pouted, recalling the beaten chameleon.

"Your problem, not mine. I used a legitimate move there. Perfectly legal. Now it seems you're on your final Pokemon, am I right?" Emerald asked sweetly.

"Yep. But he's good enough to beat any two of yours. Combusken, I choose you!" Silver released the Young Fowl Pokemon, who got in a couple of warm-up kicks before glaring over at Ludicolo challengingly. There would be no lowered guards or friendship this time.

"Combusken? After all this time, it hasn't evolved into Blaziken? This is going to be way easier than I thought," Emerald teased.

"Combusken's fine as he is. Anyway, let's get this over with. Combusken, Focus Energy!" Combusken gritted his beak, closed his eyes and psyched himself up as never before, knowing all of his master's hopes rested on his performance here today.

"Ludicolo, end this quickly with a Surf!" Ludicolo quickly made a swirling wave, which thundered towards the still Combusken mercilessly. However, Combusken's eyes snapped open; the signal he was ready to keep fighting.

"Yes! Now, use Flamethrower!" Combusken blasted Ludicolo off his perch with a precision jet of flame, and the Carefree Pokemon landed unexpectedly hard, seemingly worn out after his previous fights.

"Ludicolo, Return!" Emerald cried, and Ludicolo got back up, charging in to finish Combusken off with his own two fists.

"Combusken, dodge and use Double Kick!" Silver ordered, and Combusken ducked a punch, back-flipped away from a second, leapt over a third and kicked Ludicolo straight to the face. The Carefree Pokemon staggered backwards, blinking dumbly, and was conscious for only long enough to see Combusken's foot hurtling towards his face again.

"Combusken's going to be tougher than anticipated. But I know that you're up to it, Sceptile!" Emerald's final Pokemon took to the field as Ludicolo was returned, and the two creatures stared at each other unblinkingly, snarling. This was going to be a no-punches-pulled match that would decide who was to be the Champion.

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!" Emerald broke the silence and Sceptile dashed forwards, his forearm leaves glowing and blending into a single scythe.

"Combusken, Flamethrower!" Silver countered, and Combusken breathed out a stream of roiling flames, hoping to capitalise on Sceptile's Grass characteristics.

"Dodge it! Now, Bullet Seed!" Emerald cried as Sceptile leapt upwards, and the creature spat out a machine-gun burst of glowing seeds as he sailed back to the floor.

"Combusken, dodge it!" Silver ordered, and Combusken leapt to the side, using his powerful legs to propel him out of Bullet Seed's reach.

"Sceptile, quickly! Slam!" Sceptile caught Combusken by surprise, darting forwards and batting him away with a blow from his thick tail.

"Combusken, use Flamethrower off the wall!" Silver said quickly, and Combusken shifted in mid-air; he landed feet-first on the wall rather than head-first, which was what Sceptile had been expecting, and ricocheted off, hurtling towards Sceptile like a rocket and spewing flames from his beak to boot.

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!" Emerald parried, and although he suffered the bite of the fiery attack, Sceptile managed to rise through it and clip Combusken with his Leaf Blade, sending the Fire Pokemon flying off again. Combusken landed and hopped back up again as Sceptile regained his breath, and the two faced off as if nothing had happened. "See? Even when you hit Sceptile with a Fire type attack, he's still ready to battle," Emerald said.

"That? That was nothing. You should see when Combusken really cuts loose," Silver replied.

"Combusken!" Combusken cried in response, shifting into a ready battle stance as Sceptile hissed angrily.

"Sceptile, Bullet Seed, then Slam!" Emerald ordered, and Sceptile sped forwards behind a volley of spat seeds, gearing up his tail for another mighty blow as the Bullet Seed distracted his opponent.

"Combusken, jump and use Double Kick!" Combusken leapt straight upwards, letting the Bullet Seed pass harmlessly beneath. As Sceptile stumbled forwards into the position he previously occupied, Combusken pelted back down again, ready to unleash his two-kicks-at-once move. However, Sceptile's reactions were incredibly quick, and he managed to use the planned Slam to sweep his tail around and deflect a lot of the blows' power. Combusken back-flipped away from his opponent as the Grass Pokemon reorganised himself, waving his tail and making sure everything was in working order before getting ready for battle again.

"Sceptile, let's try a Bullet Seed and Leaf Blade combination, then!" Emerald ordered, refusing to be put off, and Sceptile charged forwards again, keeping Combusken pinned with his constant seed blasts as he closed in with a glowing blade on each arm.

"Combusken, Flamethrower!" Silver parried, and Combusken bathed the seeds in fire, incinerating them before they could touch him as well as making Sceptile pause and have to dodge more than once. If he could just wrong-foot the creature properly once, and get a clean hit...

"Sceptile, jump!" Emerald ordered, and Sceptile leapt almost as high as Combusken could, landing behind the Fire Pokemon and sending him flat on his face with a Leaf Blade to the back of the head.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" Silver said desperately, and Combusken rolled away from a second Leaf Blade, using the momentum to get back up and launch a powerful kick towards his foe. Once again, Sceptile's reflexes proved to be Silver's undoing, as the Grass Pokemon parried both kicks with his Leaf Blades.

"Now, Slam!" Sceptile swept his tail around after blocking the second kick in one smooth motion, and sent Combusken flying again.

"Combusken, Flamethrower off the ground, then Double Kick!" Silver thought the best bet here was to keep up the unexpected, and Combusken twitched in mid-air, directing his flames at the floor and blasting himself upwards above Sceptile. The Grass Pokemon was momentarily stunned as he looked upwards, and even his reactions couldn't save him from two kicks at once. One kick to each shoulder made him buckle, and Combusken stood triumphantly on top of him as he was pushed face-down into he floor.

"Sceptile, Bullet Seed! Then Leaf Blade!" Sceptile turned his head and peppered Combusken's face with seeds, making the Fire Pokemon recoil and cover his face. Taking his chance, Sceptile flipped completely over, dislodging Combusken and slamming him with a Leaf Blade.

"Combusken, Double Kick!" Silver said desperately as Sceptile pounded the Fire Pokemon with a second Leaf Blade, keeping him groggy and disoriented. Combusken's leg flailed out and forced Sceptile to hop backwards, allowing the Fire Pokemon to focus again and launch his second kick, which was also dodged.

"Good job, Sceptile! Strike back with a Slam!"

"Combusken, dodge!" Combusken flattened himself to the floor as the Slam whistled overhead, and rolled aside and up onto his feet as Sceptile made a second pass, making the ground shudder with the force of the missed blow. "Now, Flamethrower!"

"Sceptile, dodge, but keep up a Bullet Seed to distract Combusken's aim," Emerald commanded, and Sceptile leapt back and forth, twisting in mid-jump when necessary to evade the Flamethrower as it came perilously close; all the time, he blasted a thin stream of glowing seeds at Combusken, ruining his concentration as planned as well as doing mounting damage.

"Combusken, Double Kick, quickly!"

"Leaf Blade!" Both Trainers had spotted the small gap in Sceptile's guard as he twitched left to dodge the flames, and Combusken launched himself upwards, taking Sceptile directly in the stomach with a powerful kick whilst being slashed across the face with a retaliatory Leaf Blade. Both Pokemon landed several feet from each other, regaining their breath and waiting for more orders.

"OK Combusken, this is our chance! Charge in with Flamethrower, then Double Kick!" Silver said, using a similar tactic to Emerald to try and unnerve her. Combusken raced forwards, breathing fire towards the Grass Pokemon as he geared up for a powerful Double Kick to end the battle once and for all. However, Emerald had a small smile on her lips.

"Senn it?" she said quietly, and Sceptile nodded a fraction. "Then use Slam," Sceptile barely avoided the Flamethrower in time, somersaulting over Combusken, landing directly behind him and slamming his thick tail around as hard as he could into the creature's stomach. This, coupled with the momentum Combusken had already built up with his charge, completely winded the Fire Pokemon, and he fell to the floor, hissing with pain as he tried to regain his breath. Several times he tried to get up, but he failed, eventually giving in and sprawling backwards to refill his lungs. "Ha! I knew you'd see that little gap in his defence, Sceptile. He's too weak to provide any resistance, so step back and gear up for a Solarbeam!" Sceptile retreated to a safe distance and began collecting power, the beginnings of a deadly white beam building in his open mouth.

"Combusken, take as long as you need. Solarbeam takes a while to build up without Sunny Day," Silver said anxiously, but he was silently willing the creature to rise. The time for exchanging blows had come and gone. This was it; kill or be killed. Extreme measures were entirely justified and even expected. Silver's heart leapt as Combusken rubbed his head, groaned and got shakily to his feet, shaking off the last of his ill-health and taking up a battle stance again. "Yes! I knew you could do it! Use Overheat, and pack it with all the power possible!" Silver cried, punching the air as nerves seethed inside him.

"Sceptile, now! This is it!" Emerald said, sweating herself as Combusken summoned all the power at his disposal and breathed out a massive cone of white-hot flames. Sceptile responded to his master and unleashed the deadly Solarbeam just in time, and the two forces of nature clashed over the field of battle. There was immediately a great flash of light as the two connected, and when it died down there was an amazing scene. Both Pokemon were keeping up their attacks, despite shaking, sweating and looking close to fainting from the sheer power they channelled. Normally they couldn't keep up their respective moves for more than a few seconds, but they knew what was at stake. Combusken didn't want to deny Silver a place in the Hall of Fame any more than Sceptile wanted to fail his master. Fire of incredible intensity pushed against pure, naked power and the Trainers were rendered speechless as nerves seized their tongues. Whoever won this battle won the title of Champion. Suddenly, Sceptile opened his mouth even wider, and poured on more power than was safe or even healthy for him. In response to this new upsurge of opposition, Combusken shuddered, and Silver's heart sank, but he was buoyed up again as the Fire Pokemon unleashed more flame to counteract the Solarbeam. It was a test of endurance and power from two tired yet strong Pokemon who would go to any distance for their masters. Two Starters, who had been with their respective Trainers since day one of their Hoenn journeys. Starters which had fought hard every step of the way, and won badges and battles of all descriptions. And, in a second that seemed to last a lifetime, this particular battle was decided. Sceptile blinked and his expression froze in horror as he realised that there was no more power to draw from. He had exhausted his internal reserves. He had seconds, or even milliseconds, left. Combusken, barely standing as he unleashed fire, knew his time was short. Overheat always took its toll and today was no exception. Today, in fact, was worse due to the huge power he had expended. His limbs were shuddering, sweat was running down his feathers and it was all he could do to keep his beak open. But the difference was made by the expression. Combusken saw through the haze of power that emanated from the battlers' attacks and spotted the look on Sceptile's face. It was a look of panic. Suddenly, his limbs stopped shuddering. He was Combusken, eternally calm, the bravest Pokemon in his master's team. Today was what meant more to his master than anything, and here he was, thinking about giving up and allowing the Solarbeam to finish him off. But Sceptile was feeling the pressure too. No Pokemon would get the better of the great Combusken in an even duel. Screwing up every iota of strength in his fiery body, he channelled it out into his flames, barely still standing but able to see his Overheat blast past the Solarbeam and envelop Sceptile in a haze of white fire. He felt himself fall to his knees... no, not yet... he couldn't... he had to keep going... and there was Sceptile, splayed out like a rag-doll, completely and utterly beaten. Combusken allowed the blackness to take him with a smile and fell forwards into unconsciousness.

"Combusken, no!" Silver cried, running forwards as his insides churned; apart from being worried about Combusken, he wondered about the result of the battle. It seemed to him like Combusken had fainted after Sceptile, but that could just be wishful thinking. What if it had been a draw? What if he had lost?

"Sceptile, come back. You really were incredible. Better than I've ever seen you. You battled bravely and well," Emerald said with a brave attempt at a smile. She turned to Silver, watching him cradle Combusken's head in his arms, and she felt the urge to suddenly burst into tears or curl up in a ball. After fighting for so long, after beating Gym after Gym and the Elite Four, she had lost out a week or so into her reign as a Champion. It had all effectively been for nothing. What good was staying in the Hall of Fame if it was the record of the shortest time as Champion ever? This had meant so much to her, and yet Silver had come here and swept her aside after an intense battle. Perhaps it wasn't her destiny to be a great Pokemon Trainer. Her thoughts strayed hopelessly to being a world-renowned Coordinator, then she remembered she had lost out at that to Silver too. What would her parents say? The Professor's daughter, having the shortest reign ever... Then it clicked. The Professor's daughter. She had been brought up with research and fieldwork all her life, and only now did she realise how much she had liked it. All the time she had been fantasising about travelling around and becoming Champion without realising her true passion was Pokemon, pure and simple. How they thought. What they ate. Where they lived. How to make friends with them. She smiled as she realised this, and her thoughts turned to the future. So she lost. So what? She had been good enough to become the Champion in the first place, hadn't she? She had had fun and bonded immensely with her Pokemon, hadn't she? Now she had her whole life ahead of her to become the greatest Pokemon Professor and friend of Pokemon in the world. Let Silver be the Champion. He devoted his life to battling, and had missed out on all the great things she had. "Well, congratulations, Silver," she said, smiling properly this time and walking over to the boy.

"Huh? You mean...?"

"Yep. Sceptile fainted first. You beat me, fair and square. You're now the Hoenn Champion," Silver blinked, overwhelmed by the news. Then he leapt up, punching the air and dancing on the spot, even hugging Emerald as he whooped and cheered.

"Yes! YES! We did it, guys! We won! WE WON! We're the Champions!"

"Combusken," Combusken said weakly, having finally regained consciousness, and lifted a claw in acknowledgement.

"Combusken, come here! You were absolutely amazing! All of you were. You're the best friends and Pokemon a guy could ever have," Silver said, hugging the Fire Pokemon before recalling him for a very well-deserved and long overdue rest.

"Honey, you did it! That was an amazing battle!" Anna said, running over from the stands and hugging him tightly.

"I can think of no other Trainer who deserves this more than you. No offense, Emerald," Scott said hastily, but Emerald smiled.

"None taken," she said sardonically.

"Silver, yay! You did it, you did it!" Wally cried, hugging Gardevoir just for the sake of it.

"Yes, you did it, and did it well. This is one of my proudest moments. I am lucky to have a son like you," Norman said, hugging Silver and sounding close to tears. When his father released him, a certain other person grabbed him, and pulled him into a quick kiss and embrace.

"I can't believe it. I mean, I can believe it, it's just weird to think about it. I always knew you were a great Trainer. Now you're the official best!" Crystal said happily.

"Tyrogue!" Tyrogue cried, jumping higher than ever to punch the air. Togetic landed on his shoulder and he felt overwhelmed by emotion for his supporters, his Pokemon and even his rival.

"So... what are you going to do now?" he asked Emerald awkwardly, still reeling from the weight of events.

"Follow me, and I'll show you," Emerald smiled, and she led them all outside, so they breathed in the cool mountain air and looked over Hoenn's majestic expanse. She pointed off to the north, a hand on one hip, and she looked as determined and confident as Silver had come to expect. "Far to the north, north even of Kanto, is a place called Sinnoh. I've decided to be a Pokemon researcher, and I'm going to start off there, to help my dad further and maybe even start some research of my own. I'm going to be the greatest Pokemon Professor of all time," she said with determination.

"Wow. That's so cool. Sinnoh, eh?" Silver mused.

"Huh? What's that?" Wally suddenly piped up, and everybody looked up to see a huge, rainbow-coloured bird flying to the north.

"Ho-Oh!" Silver cried, his obsession with the Legendary Bird coming flooding back. "Looks like it's heading for the Sinnoh region... Maybe I should..."

"Don't even think about it," Crystal interrupted quickly, dragging him back by the ear.

"Yeah, you promised you'd visit my Battle Frontier, didn't you? The Battle Frontier that's now finished and ready to go. Just waiting for the best Trainers in the land to attend," Scott grinned.

"And I think that the Hoenn Champion's duties are going to be quite strenuous," Norman smiled. Silver sighed.

"I guess so. Well, Emerald, I wish you the best of luck with your research," He grabbed Crystal in one arm, Scott in the other and moved up next to Wally and his parents. "As for me, I've got everything I need right here,"

**The End**

Thank you for reading 'Silver: The Hoenn Adventure' and the other Silver stories too. I really appreciate your feedback and I hope that I've done a good enough job with the last in the series. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, Private Messaged me, favourited and so on. It's nice to know that some people are reading and enjoying my work. Sorry for any mistakes or paragraphs which are too long. Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.


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